


The Quest Of A Ginger Cat

by Krummbein



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult & Teen relashionship, And the Author is French, Canon Divergence - Post-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Character Death, Dubious Consent, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Horcrux Hunting, Mention of suicide and self-sacrifice, Mention of torture, Not Beta Read, One-Sided Attraction, POV Alternating, POV Barty Crouch, POV Harry Potter, POV Hermione Granger, POV Regulus Black, POV Rita Skeeter, POV Second Person, POV Severus Snape, POV Sirius Black, POV Voldemort (Harry Potter), Regulus Black Deserves Better, Regulus Black Lives, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Sirius Black is Lord Black, Slow Burn, Time Travel, Unhealthy Obsession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:00:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 115,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24249931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krummbein/pseuds/Krummbein
Summary: Regulus had known that he would have to sacrifice himself, but had gladly accepted it. Death meant being free of the Dark Lord, and that was the only thing that mattered to him. No more evil master, no more Horcrux to destroy. Only, that's not what happened at all.[Updates every two or three weeks][IL Y AURA UNE VERSION EN FRANCAIS, MAIS JE NE COMMENCERAI LA TRADUCTION QU'APRES AVOIR TERMINE LA FANFICTION]
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Regulus Black/Hermione Granger
Comments: 862
Kudos: 504





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! 
> 
> Welcome to my new fanfiction :D I've had this idea for a while, now, just after I read Oblivion by Nautical Paramour to be exact (go check it out! But please, read my fanfiction too ;) ). I had never thought of that pairing, and now I'm just obsessed with it but I can't find a fanfiction that I like, so I decided to write my own.
> 
> Obviously I've had to imagine what Regulus is like, because the only description of him we have is from Sirius (and we know that he is biased...). I've also tried to stick to the real personality of the characters, but that's my personnal interpretation. Nevertheless, Hermione will still be obsessed by her studies, Ron will still be insensitive and Harry will still try to be heroic!
> 
> Some of you might notice many errors while reading, and that's totally normal because I'm French, and this story hasn't been beta-read yet (if you want to help me with that, please send an e-mail at krummbeinmaghermine@gmail.com !) I read every chapter many times but well, I don't see everything. Sorry for that!
> 
> Finally, I've already written six chapters but I think this fanfiction will be longer that any I've previously written (at least 30 chapters). I don't write regularly, so I won't post regularly (yet, maybe one day if I have enough chapters). For those of you who read the beginning of my other fic, don't lose hope! I'm still waiting for the chapters to be reviewed and corrected but I've written everything. I'll post the rest as soon as the correction is done :)  
> ___
> 
> This fic is written for fun, please keep in mind that I try to be as coherent as possible, but that it might not always be the case!
> 
> \---
> 
> This fanfiction is being translated into RUSSIAN! Thanks to Ginni for that :)  
> https://ficbook.net/readfic/9833873/25305858
> 
> ___
> 
> Chapters 1- 10: year 3 + holidays  
> Chapters 11- 19 : year 4 + holidays  
> Chapters 20 - ? : year 5 + holidays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!
> 
> Here is the prologue of my new fanfiction! I'll post the first chapter soon, because it's short, you get a better idea of what's going to happen in the next chapter.  
> Hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> Krummbein

**June 5 th, 1979**

The cave was dark, darker than he thought it could ever be. Darker than the fabric of his cloak, darker than the deepest fault into the depth of the ocean nearby, darker than the smile of Death itself. The silence felt heavy, oppressive, almost unnatural. Somehow, he knew, it was the case. There, concealed in the shadows, lay the corpses of the ones who had fallen before him, not alive and yet not dead, only waiting for something to disturb their sleep.

Water. He needed water.

The first sip from the basin had been sour and had set his mouth on fire, and it had taken him everything he had not to spit it out. He had reluctantly swallowed the cold liquid, feeling it burn everything on its passage before finally settling in his stomach. But there had been one more sip, and another one, and he had rapidly lost the count, just trying to forget the terrible pain that he felt, the impression that millions of insects were crawling under his skin and eating his flesh from the inside, that incandescent daggers were stabbing him, or that invisible hands were trying to tear him apart.

And his _throat_.

It was so dried it felt like an old parchment craving for ink on its surface, only he craved for water and he could not conjure any from his wand. He was so _thirsty_.

“Master,” he heard a raspy voice say.

He ignored it and blinked rapidly, trying to focus. His head was painful, still filled with the terrible memories he had had to relieve, and he felt his strength leave him rapidly. He needed to move. He needed to find water. Curse the voice. There had to be some water nearby, and he had to find it. He looked around, and stilled. He was on an island, surrounded by water.

Wait, why was he on an island again?

No, he could not let his mind wander. There was some water only a few meters from him, tempting him, and he had to drink it now. Slowly, painfully, he dragged himself near the shore, trying to reach for a drop of the dark liquid.

He could almost taste it.

“Master needs to stop, Master needs to keep his strength if he wants to survive.”

The voice was there again, but he could not remember whom it belonged to. Yet, he knew it, and he struggled to find its owner. Was it a family member? A friend? A manservant?

_Kreacher_ , he suddenly recalled, and he stopped, looking in the direction of the voice. The elf was there, not far away from where he had been, looking anxious. There was a basin next to him, and he had a shell in his hands, holding it as if it were some sort of cup.

_A cup_. Yes, that was a cup, he remembered now. It was a cup and he had drunk from it, drunk the poison that was now seeping through his veins. Why had he done such a thing?

No, such questions could wait. He had to drink water.

“No!” he heard Kreacher cry in terror, “Master mustn't touch the water! Bad things in the water, dark things.”

_Yes_ , he realized, _inferi_. His thoughts were somehow clearer now, and he remembered the elf telling him about the dark creatures. Telling him about the basin. Telling him about the locket.

The locket that was in Kreacher's right hand.

_Oh_.

The cave. The mission. The exchange. Had Kreacher taken care of it? He must have, it had been an order. Put the false locket into the basin as soon as I've drunk everything, and keep the original.

“Master has to come home, now,” he heard the elf say nervously. "Master has to come home and rest, Kreacher will take care of his master."

Home? No, he could not go home. He had just betrayed his own Master, and he knew that the only thing he could do now was to die before He found out. If he dived his hand into the water, he would have everything he wanted right now. Water, and death.

“Go back home, Kreacher,” he told his servant. His voice sounded strange in his own ears, hoarse from thirst and pain. “This is an order. Go back, and destroy the locket as soon as you arrive. Never, ever tell Mother what happened.”

Kreacher gave out a heart-breaking cry and fell to the ground, supplicating his Master to lift his order. Ignoring him, Regulus put both of his hands into the water, finally reaching for the precious liquid and pouring it hastily in his mouth. He had not been able to drink more than a sip of it when a sudden movement on the surface of the lake caught his eye, and a pale hand appeared before pulling at his writs, hauling him towards the water’s edge. Another one appeared and grabbed his hairs, and before long, dozens of wet hands were holding him, taking him into the depths of the lake.

* * *

He could not remember feeling so relaxed in his life.

The water was cool against his skin, a refreshing change after the burning sensation that was finally lessening. Kreacher's cries had stopped the moment his head had entered the lake, and the only sound he could hear now was that of the water moving around him.

The cave had been dark, yet he could see light above him, distorted by the water that isolated him from the ground. Its colour was beautiful. It was not black, as he had previously thought, but deep blue, with green reflections coming from the algae that grew in the lake.

The light coming from above was now fainter, and he closed his eyes, relaxing. The hold of the Inferi seemed to lessen as they dragged him, deeper and deeper, and he knew with a surprising certainty that they were arriving at the bottom of the lake.

His lungs were on fire, but it was nothing like the pain he still felt from the cursed liquid he had drunk. He opened his mouth, releasing a last bubble of air, and the water forced his way into his throat, extinguishing the burning sensation the poison had left.

His body reacted instinctively, trying to find a new source of oxygen, but he knew better. He was too deep into the water, and he had no intention to fight what was going to happen soon. After everything he had had to endure, he would greet Death as an old friend.

As he fell into unconsciousness, Regulus Black opened his eyes one last time, engraving forever the image of the sapphire sky above him on his retina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you think?? If you have an idea of what's going to happen in the next chapter, tell me in the comments ;)
> 
> This chapter was SO hard to write, I think it took me a month to be able to describe everything I wanted. I'm rubbish at descriptions... That's why I won't write a chapter like this one every time! 
> 
> See you soon :D


	2. Welcome to the Nineties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, new chapter!
> 
> I had to post this one, because it's when the story really begins in my opinion.  
> Enjoy :)
> 
> Krummbein

Something was tickling his nose, annoying him to no end. It was moving slowly with the wind, and it was pure torture. He hoped it would stop soon.

He was lying on his stomach, his face turned against the ground, and he could feel the warmth of the sun on his back. Even with his eyes still closed, Regulus knew he had left the cave and was outdoors. He could hear the sound of the sea nearby, and the singing of a bird. A song thrush, maybe?

Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinded for a few seconds by the light of the sun. He stayed still for a moment, letting time for his eyes to adjust to the sudden change, and glanced around. So, _that_ was what had been tickling him. Grass. He raised his hand carefully and touched it. It was deep green and soft against his fingers. He took a deep breath and let out a satisfied sigh. He loved the smell of grass. He tried to turn around and, aside from a lingering ache, he felt perfectly normal. He could breathe. He could see. He could feel. So far, not a lot of change from his mortal life. The weather was perfect, and he was feeling better than he had in months. That, was exactly how he had envisioned the afterlife.

Something on his back was hurting him. He rose slowly on his elbows before sitting on the grass and looking on the ground, searching for a small rock, but found nothing. Hum. What could it be? After a close inspection, he realized that he was still wearing the same clothes as before, including his cloak. That must be the answer: something was in his cloak, and he had felt it through the fabric. He opened it and put his hand in the pocket, where it bumped into a cold and flat surface. Intrigued, he took the object and brought it in front of him, before feeling his heart stop for a second when he understood what it was.

No. No, no, no, _NO._

Panic rushed over him, and he felt bile rise in his throat. He had just enough time to turn before emptying the content of his stomach on the ground. His hands shaking, he forced himself to take a deep breath and shivered violently before glancing again at the object in his hand. Automatically, his heart rate speed up and he swallowed hard. That was impossible. He had asked Kreacher to keep the locket, he remembered everything clearly now. How come he had it with him, here of all the places? He was still trying to understand what had happened when he felt it.

A pulse.

The locket was pulsating, as if he had a heartbeat.

As if it was alive.

_How?_

Slowly, despite the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he brought his hand to his neck and put his fingers on his skin, reaching for the place where he knew his pulse had been when was alive.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

_No_ , he thought, _that doesn't mean anything_. _Maybe I can have a pulse and be dead. If it's the afterlife, everything is possible._ But doubt had invaded his mind and he rose, looking around him.

He was on a cliff on the seaside, and he could see the sea extends to the horizon. He looked up and decided that – if the concept of time was working wherever he was – it was almost noon. He looked around again, trying this time to find something that could help him understand what had happened. His surroundings were vaguely familiar, but well, a forest usually looked like any other forest, why would it be different with a cliff, near the seaside?

Still.

Cautious not to fall, he approached the end of the cliff and looked down. He thought he could see a small lump on the rock, maybe the entrance of a cave? Or maybe it was just the play of light on the rocks.

He took his wand from his pocket and tried to summon water. It worked. Magic worked _here_ too, but that could also be another similarity with the world he had – now supposedly – just left. At least, he would be able to go down in order to check whether or not his mind was tricking him. After putting the locket back in his pocket, he pointed his wand on his feet and muttered the incantation. He rose from the ground and reached the empty space in front of him, before carefully going down where he thought he had seen something.

There was the entrance of a cave, an entrance that looked _exactly_ like the entrance of the cave he had visited… well, not so long ago. But again, maybe that was normal? Maybe, because he had died here, he was supposed to stay here? Ghost usually appeared at the exact same spot where they had passed away, but he did not feel like a ghost. In fact, he felt completely normal.

Something was wrong.

He flew back safely on top of the cliff and sat on the grass, rapidly going over everything he knew. He had drowned at the bottom of the lake, yet he was outside the cave. He had given the locket to Kreacher, yet he had it in his cloak. He was supposed to be dead, yet he felt perfectly alive. How could he prove that he had survived and that it was not just a dream?

He sat down and tried to think. Cons of being dead: Mother would never forgive him for what he had done to their family and would come haunt him after passing away. Pros of being dead: The Dark Lord would not be able to kill Regulus a second time when he discovered that he had betrayed him.

_Fuck_.

The Dark Lord.

How could he even forget about him when he seemingly had a piece of his soul in the pocket of his cloak? If he was alive, his former Master would be able to find him because of the tattoo he was bearing, and the death he thought he had had would seem wonderful in comparison.

Regulus suddenly noticed that his right arm was not tingling as it always did, and lifted his sleeve to look at it. The mark was not there anymore, and his forearm was the same as it had been before his seventieth birthday. Bare. Well, that was one point in favour of him being dead. Then, he pointed his wand against his hand and muttered _diffindo_. The skin sliced open and a small fleck of blood appeared, running from his palm to his wrist before forming a drop and falling on the ground. He winced, before casting the counter-curse. One point for him being alive, he supposed. That did not help at all.

The area around him was deserted, and no house or fire could be seen from where he was. Should he walk in no particular direction and see if he met someone else? He still had time before the setting of the sun, but he was not sure he wanted to sleep under the open sky. Maybe he could try to go to London and see if it was still standing? He disillusioned himself and closed his eyes, listening for a moment to the sound of the waves before disappearing from his spot.

* * *

He apparated exactly where he had intended to, in the street behind the Leaky Cauldron. The path seemed unchanged, with piles of rubbish everywhere around him and small puddles on the ground. Not sure whether he was satisfied or not with what being here meant for him – obviously alive, but not attached to the Dark Lord anymore – he decided to modify his appearance before going into the pub. Better not to be recognized by old friends.

The bar looked exactly the same as he had last seen it with its mismatched stools, its floor begging to be cleaned and its lack of natural light. Regulus let out a satisfied sigh. He did not know how, but what had happened to him last night had severed the linked he had with the Dark Lord, and he was now positive that he would be able to flee without being pursued by his former Master. But before that, he would have to buy a few supplies and maybe go to Gringotts, too. Without a glance in the barman's direction, Regulus crossed the dusty room and opened the entrance of Diagon Alley.

As he walked on the street, something began bothering him. There, in a small corner of his head, he had that strange feeling that something was extremely _wrong_ but he could not exactly figure out what it was. There were too many people in the street. Too many shops that were opened. Too much joy in the air. That should not have been the case.

He slowed down and inspected the nearest building, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The shop itself looked the same but the clothes were somewhat amiss. Maybe it was the collar of that gown that was too low, or the cut of the trousers that were too close fitting to his liking, or even the fact that this set of robes did not look at proper _at all_ for an evening dinner. And there was also the fact that the shopkeeper herself looked at least ten years older than last week.

_Wait, what?_

Regulus stopped right on his tracks; eyes glued to the petite figure of Madam Malkin. Was he dreaming? No, this was the shopkeeper, he would recognize those eyes everywhere. But she did look older than during their previous encounter. A de-aging potion that had gone wrong, maybe?

He felt someone collide against his back and heard a sudden cry of pain. He turned around, ready to apologize for his terrible behaviour – one did not stop right in the middle of the street to stare at people – but found he had lost his voice. In front of him stood a beautiful blonde woman wearing a green gown, her perfectly shaped eyebrows drawing a pale line above her deep grey eyes. He may have thought she was still in her twenties if not for the young man next to her – her son, obviously. He knew that woman.

"Narcissa?"

Surprised, the woman raised her head and looked directly at him.

"I'm sorry, Sir, do we know each other?" her voice was polite but cold, and it hurt him more than he would have thought.

"Do we… Cissa it's me, Reg, your cousin," he tried to explain, too shocked by her appearance to remember that he was disguised and trying to avoid old acquaintances.

Her face grew hard, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"My cousin has been dead for fourteen years, sir. Please do respect his memory and stop saying such nonsense," she answered sharply, looking outraged. "Come on Draco," she said to the young boy, "we're leaving. _This_ , is exactly the kind of person you don't want to be seen socializing with if you want to be respected."

Regulus stood, frozen, as he watched his cousin apparate away with her son. Fourteen years. He had been considered dead for _fourteen years_. How was it even possible? Less than twenty-four hours had passed since he had last left Grimmauld place, how come it had been fourteen years for the rest of the world? Something must have happened during his stay in the cave, but he could not understand the connection between his near-death experience at the bottom of a forgotten lake and time-travelling. Because there was no other explanation for what had happened, right? He must have time-travelled, but _forward_ in time.

He felt his knee give up and put his hand on the wall next to him to avoid falling on the ground. Blood was pounding loudly in his ears, making it had for him to think clearly. He had to leave. He had to find somewhere safe to regain control of his emotions. But what was safe, now? It had been fourteen years since he had left his home, maybe his parents had discovered the truth and would want nothing to do with him. Or maybe they were both dead, and Sirius was now Lord Black. He did not know which option was worst.

There was a way to find answers quickly, and he knew it. He left Diagon Alley for a quiet street nearby, called for Kreacher and waited. Surely, if he was alive, his elf ought to be too, right? He had ordered him to leave and to take the locket. But somehow, the locket was in his pocket, and Kreacher had not appeared in front of him yet. Only one solution left.

* * *

He had no trouble apparating in his old bedroom, and felt the wards welcome him back. There was a lot of dust, and he sneezed loudly before was able to look around. The sight that greeted him was not pleasant at all. The colours of the walls, once looking bright and welcoming, had faded a bit, the sheets on his mattress seemed to have been eaten by doxies and he could see spider webs on the canopy of his bed, as well as a half-eaten newspaper on the floor. He moved forward, and his hand only shook a little when he turned the door handle but as soon as he exited the room, his worst fears were confirmed. The house was not habited – and had not been for years. His eyes became blurry and he swallowed hard as he understood painfully the terrible truth: he was the only Black of his branch alive.

He leant against the wall and let himself slowly slide against the floor, wondering what could have happen for his parents _and_ his brother to die. Because Sirius must have automatically recovered his former status of Heir of the House Black when he had _disappeared_ , whatever his father had decided years ago. Regulus sighted loudly. It must have been his fault, right? His parents were not very old and still had at least fifty years to live, and his brother was only one year older than him so there was no way that the three of them should have died from natural causes. Maybe his parents had been punished because of his treason. Maybe Sirius had been caught, tortured and killed by the Dark Lord who must have wondered if Regulus was not a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix. Maybe…

Finally, after a long time sitting on the floor, going over every scenario he could think of, he decided that he had spent enough time moping and got up, wondering where he could find clues in the house. Maybe his brother would have had some letters in his room, or his mother some notes on her diary about what had happened to them. But for now he felt drained, and he needed some sleep if he wanted to think straight and start understanding what had happened. He went back to his room and, after undressing and quickly cleaning the sheets, fall asleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky when he woke up, and it took Regulus a few minutes to recall why he felt so desperate. His stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he had not eaten for a day and a half. He had not thought of this yesterday but now he realized than he had a bigger problem than finding the truth: money. With his family gone, he was the sole Heir of the House, but also of the Black's fortune. However, as he had been considered dead, the family's money must have gone to the closest male of the family, probably the young Malfoy he had encountered during his last outing. That meant he would not be able to use the house long if he could not change the wards, and that he would need to find an employment if he wanted to eat. But how could he find a job if he was dead? Even if he created himself a new identity, it would be hard to be employed without his NEWTs or recommendation letters.

Maybe he could rapidly search the house for any money or valuables? That would not really be stealing, as the objects were his by right, but he still felt bad thinking that the only solution he had for the moment might be to sell the family's possession. He would not be able to take anything too obvious, like her mother's pearl, but maybe some of the old volumes in the library would interest Borgin. Better, maybe the library held some volumes about time-travel that would help him understand what had happened? He made a mental note to go there and check later, before going to the bathroom to see if the water was still running.

He got out an hour later, marvelling about the enchantments that were still in place after (possibly) years of disused. He checked his pockets and found his purse before counting the galleons he had. If he could stay here a while, he would be able to survive a few months even without an employment. And there was also the problem of the _locket._ He could not let it in the house without protection, but he could not wear it all the time either. He frowned, remembering the strange feeling he had had when it had been in his pocket. The feeling that there was _something_ with him, observing his every movement and trying to get into his head. He knew the latter must have been true, because he had felt the subtle attacks against his mental shields, testing their capacity and trying to lower them inconspicuously. He had not spent the night with it on him but he felt mentally exhausted and wondered if it had not tried to attack him while he was asleep. Luckily for him, he was a natural occlumens and had trained with Severus for years, which meant that his defences were still effective during the night. Still, he did not want to spend his life dead on his feet because of an endless battle happening inside of his head. He would have to find a quick solution to get rid of the thing, and to keep it safe until then. He was almost positive that he had seen a book or two about protective spells and wards in the Black library last time he had been there but first, he had to find some answers about what had really happened, as well as some food.

Checking his modified reflect in the mirror ( _"looking good, young man! Who's the lucky witch?"_ ), he apparated back in Diagon Alley, just next to the Leaky Cauldron. The street was busy, and he realized quickly that it must be April because he could see many children old enough to be at Hogwarts, but the weather was still too cold for July or August. So, he had travelled almost fourteen years forward, minus two months. Interesting.

He moved on and entered the Leaky, struggling to find an empty seat safe from prying eyes. The old pub had never felt so welcoming after the last few dreadful hours he had spent, and he was grateful for the meal that appeared before him a few minutes after his arrival. The stew was too thick and not really good, but it was better than an empty stomach and he attacked it as if he had not eaten in years which was, in a way, the case. In need of some distraction from his thoughts, Regulus began observing the people around him, remembering his thoughts from the day before. The place was crowded and everyone seemed relaxed, too relaxed for witches and wizards living under the rule of a certain Dark Lord. He felt hope rising in his chest as he realized that his former Master must have fallen and decided that his first stop would be Flourish and Bott.

He crossed the door of the library almost an hour later and he had no problem finding the History section. There were many volumes that could have interested him but he decided to settle with _Modern Magical History_ , _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_. He would come back later if he needed more. He also took a book about magical cooking, remembering that he would need to take care of his meals and had no idea how to proceed. After a short visit to the nearest groceries store, he apparated back home and began reading.

* * *

Regulus closed the last book four hours later, trying to digest the information he had just read. A baby had killed the Dark Lord. A _baby_. And his brother was not dead but had become traitor and a mass-murderer, and was now in Azkaban. Both facts seemed terribly wrong, especially the one about Sirius. He had loved Potter more than he had ever loved his own brother, and deep down, Regulus knew there was no way that he would have betrayed the man and his family. But how else could the Dark Lord have had access to the Potter's refuge? Someone close to them must have gotten the information somehow, but it seemed impossible to him because Sirius would probably rather die than reveal anything. He would have to dig deeper to find out the truth, because he was convinced than his brother was innocent. Maybe it was time to see if he could find some clues in his brother's belongings.

Sirius' room was just across the corridor, and it took Regulus less than a minute to go there and open the door. The bedroom was bigger than his, and he snorted when he saw the red and gold colours around him, as well as the decoration that covered the walls. He had not been here for years, his mother and his own pride forbidding that, but he had been expecting something like that. Pictures of his friends, muggle girls and something he knew was a muggle mean of transportation were everywhere around him, making him wonder briefly if those had been a way to infuriate their mother or if Sirius had really enjoyed the sight of them. The girls _were_ nice to look at.

The room was tidy but some objects seemed out of place, as if they had been hastily dropped where they were now. There was a travel bag on the bed, as well as a thick cloak and strange-looking boots at the bottom. Several books were on the desk, as well as a thick pile of letters that Regulus decided to open when he saw them. He sat on the old chair in front of him and began reading.

Most of the correspondence was boring, but Regulus was able to find some interesting facts. It was a prophecy that had sent the Potter's into hiding but apparently, they had not been privy to its content. Dumbledore had suggested the Fidelius Charm, and they had been hiding for a half a year when they had died. And Potter had had an invisibility cloak, which explained a _lot_ of things happening almost daily to Severus when they had been at Hogwarts. The most disturbing fact had been the claim of Bathilda concerning Dumbledore. Had the man really been close to Grindelwald? The former Dark Wizard had been a source of inspiration for the Dark Lord, and it was difficult for Regulus to imagine that the old Director had agreed with the idea of the Greater Good.

His stomach growled and he decided that he had spent enough time reading and got up, leaving for the kitchen. As he went down the stairs, Regulus started thinking of his next steps. The books he had read claimed that the Dark Lord was dead but he knew that it could not be the truth. The Horcrux must have prevented that, so it meant that he was still somewhere, waiting to come back. Taking care of the locket would not kill him at all, only making him mortal again and Regulus was not sure he would be strong enough to face him. The only one able to fight against the Dark Lord had been – and must still be – Dumbledore.

Something caught his eye and he stopped, observing with interest the object in front of him. It was a huge portrait, hanging on the wall not far from the bottom of the stairs, and he was positive that it had not been there previously. It was hidden by two dark curtains which he decided to open, intrigued to see who it could be.

Momentarily, he thought he was dreaming. In front of him stood his mother, wearing her favourite black cap and screaming as though she was being tortured to insanity. He closed his eyes quickly, trying to remember that his real Mother was dead and that the person in front of him was only a self-sized painting. When he opened his eyes again, he found the portrait staring at him, its mouth hanging wide opened.

"Regulus?" she said, after a few minutes of silence. "Is that really you?"

"Mother," he said, not sure what else to say.

"But… but you are dead," the portrait said, amazed. "The tapestry said so, and the tapestry is never wrong," she was looking strangely at him, as if trying to decide whether or not he was an imposter.

"The tapestry was right, Mother. At least, partially right. I don't know what happened to me, but it seems that I travelled forward in time."

"Forward in… But that's impossible, surely?" she was now muttering, trying to think about what he had said. "Back in time yes, I've heard of such things, but I'm pretty sure no one had ever done what you're saying."

"Well, I see no other explanation. One moment I was in 1979, and a few hours later I see Narcissa who tells me I've been dead for fourteen years."

"You've seen your cousin? But… How come you're here now? Your traitor of a brother was reinstalled in his right, does that mean that he is finally dead?"

Ignoring his mother's insult, Regulus replied.

"As far as I know, Sirius is still alive, and still imprisoned in Azkaban. Narcissa did not recognize me because I had changed my appearance. I did not want to be recognized by anyone I knew."

"But Regulus darling, why?" his mother asked, stunned. "The last member of your family would welcome you with open arms, and Lucius Malfoy would too!"

Regulus paused, thinking. It was not his mother he had been talking to, just her portrait, but he could not summon the courage to explain everything that had led him to this.

"I'd rather not talk about this if you don't mind. I've had a hard day and it's time for me to eat something. I'll come back later. Oh, by the way. Do you know what happened to Kreacher?"

His Mother's face was wearing mixed feelings when he was done talking, but she answered nonetheless.

"No one knows what happened to him. He disappeared the same night as you did, that's the only thing I'm sure of. We tried to locate him but everything pointed to him being dead."

"I see. Thank you," he said, and finally left for the kitchen.

* * *

He was already making progress, he thought as he watched the pan flipping the pancakes he intended to eat as his breakfast. The hard part was to perform the right wand movement, and charms had never been his best subject. But still, it looked far better than yesterday's dinner.

His teacup arrived in front of him and he took a sip, eyes fixed on the last book he had found about time-travel. Again, no mention was made of time-travelling forward, and he was beginning to become more and more frustrated. The Black's Library was one of the best-furnished in wizarding Britain, how come there was nothing on the subject? Maybe because it was not considered as something Dark? After all, he had found mentions of Horcruxes in his father's books, and he was pretty sure that this kind of information was pretty scarce. So scarce indeed that it had taken him days to find anything similar to what Kreacher had described, and he had needed to study every little reference to get a global view and understand how they worked. However, nothing was said about destroying one.

The pan flew above him and let the pancakes slide on his plate, before going directly into the sink. Regulus took his fork and began eating. He still had a dozen of books to read but he was not sure he would find anything of interest in them about time-travel, and he had to find information about the best way to destroy an Horcrux. If the Black Library held nothing on the subject, then there was only one place he could think of apart from the Ministry.

Hogwarts.

It was commonly known that the institution had an extensive collection of books and was of the finest in Europe, and he remembered seeing rare books that had been prohibited from public places in the restricted section. But how could he show up in front of Dumbledore's porch and ask for books about Horcruxes when he was supposed to be dead and maybe worse, a Death-Eater? He knew the old man well enough to be sure he would find his request suspicious but to be honest, Regulus would have had the same reaction were he in his seat. And besides, he was not really sure that he wanted anyone to know that he was alive, even Dumbledore.

Entering Hogwarts without the Headmaster's approval would prove to be difficult, especially because he was the one granting the access of the castle to anyone coming from the outside. Passing for a student would not work, as he might not be recognized by a teacher and thus suspected, and he couldn't disguise himself as a worker either, because he had no letter of recommendation. No. The best way would be to find a disguise that would make him look ordinary to anyone crossing path with him, like a fly on the wall. A fly on the wall… Yes. That was an idea worth developing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter :)  
> I'll post the next one in two weeks.
> 
> Please leave a comment if you have a question, or even see something that's not coherent (I hope not, because I tried to think really hard about every aspect of the fic but well, who knows).
> 
> Krummbein


	3. Crookshanks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I initially wanted to wait until next week to post this chapter, but I'v been productive and have already written three more chapters, so I decided that I would be posting every week for now :)  
> Hope you like this chapter :D
> 
> Krummbein

Amazed, Regulus observed the tiny paws that had replaced his hands. They were covered with a soft and long fur, and had sharp claws that he was able to retract easily. He planted them on the floor and scratched the parquet, satisfied to see the mark he had left on the wood. Trying to move closer to his bed, Regulus lost his balance twice before being able to walk normally. Who would have thought it was so hard to coordinate four members? Without forgetting that he also had to take into account his (very fluffy) tail to stabilize himself.

He sat and, mimicking the movement he had seen cats do so many times, contracted his muscles before trying to jump on his bed. He missed, and hit one of the pillars instead. Swearing (meowing) loudly, he got up and tried again, this time with more success. Satisfied, he looked at his surrounding with his nose high in the air, sniffing around. His senses were sharper now, and he was able to detect far more smells and sounds than before, even if he was not sure he would be able to identify them all. He stretched a bit before jumping on the floor, going directly to the bathroom to look at his reflection.

_Well_ , he thought, as he observed himself on the mirror, _this is not exactly what I was expecting._

In front of him stood a huge ginger cat, almost as big as a Kneazle, studying him with intelligent eyes. He had a big, squashed-looking head, as if he had one day forgotten to stop and run headlong into a brick wall, as well as bandy legs that made him look laughable. He was not the cutest half-Kneazle in the world, but at least he would be able to get into the castle inconspicuously. That would have been harder if he had been a dragon.

Transforming back into his human form, Regulus stretched again before running himself a bath. He sank into the hot water, enjoying his first real quiet moment of the week.

He could not believe it. He had needed only four months to become a full animagi, when it took some people years of practice to achieve it. Lady Luck was in a good mood, it seemed. He could now rest for a few days and get into the habit of living like a cat before going to the nearest pet shop in Diagon Alley and find a student willing to adopt him. He wasn't really happy by the prospect of being owned by someone, even for a few weeks, but it was the best solution he had found. Hopefully, he would find a nice Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw boy and share his dormitory, leaving him freedom to roam around the castle at night. Slytherin and Gryffindor were out of the question: he did not want to stay with future Death Eaters, nor wannabe Marauders.

After a two-hours nap, Regulus felt better. His muscles still ached from the transformation, but it would be something he would get used to. However, he wasn't looking forward to eating cat food, or worse: using a litter box. Maybe he would be able to sneak out of the dormitories and use the nearest bathroom discreetly? But that was a problem for later. For now, he needed to get used to his new body and to find a safe place for the Horcrux, because there was no way he would take it with him inside of a castle full of innocent children, incapable of using Occlumency to protect their minds.

He took the locket, observing it closely. He had tried to get rid of it several times so far but, as anticipated, the object had not even a scratch on its surface. He could feel dark energy pulsating away from it and decided that it would be the first thing to take care of. No one seemed to have come into the house lately but it might happen someday, and any experienced wizard would be able to suspect an object with an aura like this. He would also need to add an illusion on it to change its appearance slightly and to add some extra wards around it and on the house, so that he would be alerted if someone crossed the door. He glanced at the clock and decided he would take care of this tomorrow. For now, he had to pack the few things he would need during his stay at Hogwarts, and to go over his plan one more time.

* * *

He did not like the magical menagerie at all. Every inch of the small room was covered by cages – crowded with owls, rats, snakes and much more – and it was always smelly despite the numerous cleaning charms the owner casted every now and then. And the noise, Merlin, the noise! It was as if every single animal was trying to be louder than its neighbour. How could one stay sane after eight hours working in that shop was a question he would never be able to answer. As a cat, he was free to go wherever he wanted in the room but that did not change a lot for him, as he had to stay where the noise was.

Convincing the witch he was hers had not been difficult at all. He had arrived very early one morning and modified her memories before transforming and jumping on the counter. Now, she was persuaded that he was a five years-old half-Kneazle that she'd had for a while, and that she would sell for half its price when a favourable opportunity arose. He had been here for a week, now, and no one had wanted him so far. He knew that he was not a beauty, but surely that was not the only thing that mattered, right? He was a half-Kneazle, Ravenclaws should want him for his intelligence and Hufflepuffs for his purring. Today was the last day before the beginning of the term at Hogwarts and he was becoming more and more desperate. His last option consisted of being adopted by the gamekeeper, and he really wanted to avoid that if possible. He knew Hagrid had a thing for dangerous beasts.

The bell rang and he narrowed his eyes, studying the newcomers from the top of the highest cage. Three teenagers entered the shop, one of them holding what looked like an old rat. The boy had red hairs and more freckles than what was appropriate, and Regulus immediately labelled him as a Weasley. The second one caught his eye when he looked up and, for a moment, Regulus thought that James Potter was standing in front of him. Repressing a shiver – Severus had not been the only target of the infamous Marauders – he rapidly realized his mistake.

The boy looked like James, yes, but there were some subtle differences he had not noted at first: he wasn't as tall as the later around the same age, and he looked terribly skinny, his clothes were too loose for him hanging miserably on his small frame. He had green eyes, eyes Regulus knew had once belonged to Lily Evans, and his face was very thin. But the most important contrast between the boy and the man Regulus knew was his demeanour. James Potter had been a brilliant wizard but self-confident and arrogant, and this boy looked rather shy and unsure of himself. Was he really the famous Harry Potter he had read so much about? He did not look like a hero at all. In fact, were it not for the scar he could see on his forehead, he would look completely ordinary.

"Dunno," he heard the red-headed said. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

Ah yes, he had come for his rat, Regulus remembered. Who wanted a rat for a pet, really? A half-Kneazle would be far better, especially when the rat in question looked ready to die.

_Wait a minute_.

Regulus leaned forward and took a closer look at the small rodent in front of him. His instinct was telling him that something was wrong. This was not a rat, this was an animagus! Without thinking he jumped on the boy, trying to get to the rat.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" the witch cried, but he did not listen to her. He had the indistinct feeling that this rat, this _human_ , was hiding something, and he only knew one type of people that would be willing to stay transformed for years as an animagus. Death-Eaters. And a Death-Eater with a student meant a Death-Eater in the castle, and a Death-Eater in the castle meant many things, each worse that the other. Maybe his instincts were wrong, but he did not want to take any risk and if he needed to kill an innocent rat, so be it. After all, it was almost dead already.

"Bad Crookshanks, bad _bad_ Crookshanks," the witch had taken him far from the boy – who had run away behind his pet – and was now admonishing him. He did not feel sorry at all and glared at her, impassive.

"Can I see him?"

The little voice startled them both, and Regulus saw that the shopkeeper was as stunned as he was. She nodded and let the girl come near him, and he observed her closely, sniffing the palm that she was offering.

He had been so focused on the two boys that he had completely forgotten about the third member of the group but now that he looked at her, he was wondering how he could have missed her. His first thought when he had observed his reflection was that he looked like a small tiger. This girl, however, looked like a lion. She had a mane that wrapped her small face almost entirely, and it was a miracle that one could still see her eyes. She was talking to him but he did not listen, too focused on the horribly large front-teeth that appeared every time she smiled. She had to be a Muggle-born, because there was no way that wizards would let their child keep teeth like that.

The girl turned to the shopkeeper and designated him, apparently asking some questions before promptly giving her some coins. The woman accepted them, and Regulus found himself in the arms of the girl, who had not stopped talking.

"I'm sure you'll like my house," he heard, "it's very comfy. Of course, tonight we sleep at the Leaky, and anyway you'll be in the Tower most of the time, but I want to be sure that you like my room too, I still stay there during the holidays and…"

"Girl," the witch interrupted from behind them, "your friend forgot his Rat Tonic. Could you give it to him?"

"Of course," she answered, before opening the door of the shop and catching up with her friends. She had begun petting him and he could not stop himself from purring contentedly.

"You bought that _monster_?"

Regulus looked venomously at the annoying red-headed. The boy clearly lacked some manners, had he been raised in a barn? He would deal with this idiot later if the occasion presented itself.

"He's _gorgeous_ , isn't he?" the girl asked.

Regulus nearly broke his neck as he heard her comment, turning his head in her direction. She was looking at him lovingly, her eyes glowing when she saw that he was observing her. She wasn't joking, he realized, she was being sincere! He could almost not believe it. Screw Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs boys, the girl was perfect.

"And stop _worrying_ , Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours. What's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been here for ages: no one wanted him!"

Right, the dormitory problem. He'd have to avoid it around bedtime, because there was no way he would be called a pervert.

Too busy thinking, Regulus realized that they had entered the Leaky Cauldron, and he was greeted by the sight of a man he recognized easily: Arthur Weasley. The man put his paper down and welcomed the trio, asking how their shopping had been. Regulus jumped from the girl's arms, looking at the picture that had had made his heart stop for a moment.

There, on the front page, was his brother, staring up at him and looking more furious than he had ever seen him. Regulus got closer and began reading.

Regulus closed his eyes, relief spreading through his body. His brother had escaped Azkaban and had not been found. The problem was that he was now pursued by the muggle and wizarding government, and there was nothing that Regulus could do, because he did not know where Sirius was. He was practically sure that he would not go to Grimmauld Place – he had always hated it – but there were not many options left. For his sake, he hoped that his brother had a good disguise.

"Come on Crooks," he heard his new owner say, "time to go to our room. Tom doesn't want cats wandering in the bar, you'll have to behave like a good kitty and to stay there."

He meowed, trying to express his dissatisfaction in audible terms, but the girl did not care and took him upstairs, where he had to share the room with a very dangerous book until she returned from her supper.

* * *

"It's alright, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

_You'd better_ , Regulus thought indignantly, _I won't be treated like a vulgar_ pet.

The journey to King's Cross was uncomfortable. Regulus' cage was too small for him, and that car thing that transported them jolted regularly because of the too many holes that undermined the road, making the suitcases hit his small prison. The owls seemed to hate it as much as he did, and they did not stop owling during the fifteen minutes that the travel lasted. When they finally got in the train however, he had to stay in his cage, and another bad surprise was waiting for him. There was already someone in the wagon, and he cursed internally when he heard Hermione murmur his name.

Professor R. J. _Lupin_.

The man was sleeping and looked very ill, but Regulus recognized him instantly as the same Lupin that had been part of the Marauders years ago. He was wearing an extremely old-looking and worn-out set of wizard's robes, and his suitcases had seen better days. It was slightly surprising to see him looking that bad, and he could not help but wonder what had happened to him. He had always looked a bit weak, but it seemed that the loss of his best friends had been too much for him to handle. With no other choice, Regulus decided to try to curl up into a ball and listened to the trio, hoping it would help him understand the situation at Hogwarts better.

They talked about Sirius for a bit – and he was once again determined to learn more about what had happened to his brother – before moving onto Hogsmeade. The discussion was enlightening, as it helped him understand Weasley and Hermione a bit better. The boy seemed to be a typical teenager and the model Gryffindor: immature, insensitive, obsessed by food, and apparently incapable of realizing when his life or his friends could be in danger. He seemed to be short-tempered and swore a lot, something Regulus found particularly distasteful.

On the contrary, Hermione was more a Ravenclaw than a Gryffindor. From what he had heard and seen so far, she was extremely curious and much more reasonable than her friends. However, she might be a bit too studious, even for him. Last night, he had fallen asleep at the bottom of her bed, listening to her reciting the text she had been reading, happy to discover that they shared a thirst for knowledge. That feeling had stopped at five in the morning, when she had suddenly decided that she needed to practice her wand movement in case there was a surprise test.

He felt the cage shift, and he saw that Hermione was about to open it. _Finally_ , he thought bitterly. "Don't let that thing out!" he heard the ginger say, and Regulus thought it was really absurd how his commentaries made him want to act like a stupid teenager again. He leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang on Weasley's knees. In his pocket, a small lump suddenly began to tremble. The red-headed shoved him away angrily and Regulus hissed.

"Get out of if!"

"Ron, don't!" he heard Hermione say angrily.

Their quarrel was interrupted by Lupin slightly shifting in his sleep, and soon they forgot about him.

* * *

He had settled in an empty seat, face turned towards _Ronald_ , and was staring at his top pocket where he knew the ugly old rat was. He'd find a way to get to him and to ensure that nothing would endanger his plan so he had been waiting patiently, having only moved when the young Malfoy had appeared (Regulus had been disappointed to learn that his cousin's son was nothing more than a spoiled brat).

The train slowed down before stopping, and he looked outside, surprised. It was still too early to be at Hogsmeade. The lamps went out and he stilled, observing everyone around him. The Hogwarts Express never stopped, and he began to feel concerned. What could have happened outside? Something was wrong, he could almost feel it in his bones.

There was a sudden movement near the door, and someone entered – a friend, it would seem. He hissed loudly when that someone tried to sit on him, scratching the bottom of the idiot that had not been able to check whether or not the seat was occupied. Ronald's sister appeared shortly after that and before long, everyone was talking, trying to understand what was happening. Beside him Lupin moved, and he felt a bit better. He was not sure he wanted to blow his cover protecting the five teenagers.

"Quiet," he heard the man say.

They stopped talking, and Regulus saw that Lupin had conjured some flames that were now illuminating the compartment. He was about to reach for the door when something opened it for him, and Regulus felt his heart turn into ice when he felt, more than saw, the cloaked figure that entered.

Already, he could feel the cold going deeper and deeper inside him, and soon, it was as if he had never left the cave. He was drowning in the dark waters, and the hands on the inferis were grasping his wrists. The air wouldn't go in, and his lungs were slowly filling with water. Far away, it seemed, there was a loud meow, and it took him a few seconds to understand that it was him trying to scream.

In front of him, the Weasley girl had begun shaking too, and Potter had fallen on the ground and was convulsing violently. Quickly, Lupin stepped in front of the teenagers and banished the Dementors in less than a minute. The lamps went back on, and the sight of the light made Regulus feel a bit better. Still shaken, he tried his best to stop shivering. A small hand appeared on his back, petting him comfortingly, and he stopped quavering gradually. Hermione took him in her arms and hugged him tightly.

"That alright Crooks, professor Lupin took care of those bad creatures. I'm here now."

For a moment he indulged in, and wished he could hug her back.

* * *

The elf had transported him directly into the Tower, and Regulus took some time to explore what would be his new home for the next few weeks. The room was cosy, and he had to recognize that the beds seemed far more comfortable than the one he had in the dungeons. They were covered in thick scarlet blankets and had long curtains to add more privacy. There was a little bowl with water on one side of a bed, as well as some cat food, and he supposed it was Hermione's. He then went to the bathroom and discovered a litter. Great.

After a while, he grew tired of waiting and decided it was time to visit the common room. He climbed down the steps and arrived in a circular room, full of squashy armchairs. A roaring fire greeted him, and he decided that he did not mind the golden colours everywhere around him. Slytherin's common room had been austere and seemed unwelcoming, but this common room was warm and made him feel completely at home. He could now understand why Sirius had loved his house so much after Grimmauld Place, and found that he could not blame him for rejecting their family. It made him ache. So many years lost because of some stupid house quarrel. And now there was a small chance for him to see his brother again, but that would mean stopping his quest of finding the answers he needed and he knew that he could not do that. He had to destroy the Horcrux and the sooner, the better.

The portrait hiding the entrance of the Tower swung open and in no time, the room was swarming with students, impatient to go to bed. Regulus swiftly regained his spot in the room and waited for Hermione to come back. She arrived thirty minutes after her roommates with a huge grin on her face, and she promptly took him on her bed before closing the curtains on him. She reappeared a moment later, in her pyjamas.

"Guess what?" she asked brightly, searching the pocket of her robes before taking a small object in her hands and showing it to him. "MacGonagall gave me a time-turner to help me attend all of my courses!"

She seemed excited by the prospect, but seeing the time-turner made him feel uncomfortable after his own experience. And who would give a thirteen years old such a powerful artifact? Moreover, why did she need a time-turner to attend her courses?

"She told me that at least four courses happened at the same time so they had to find a solution. I _had_ to take all of them, you know? I couldn't possibly choose between Muggle classes and Care of Magical Creature, and I've heard so much about Arithmancy and Divination!"

Alright, clearly worse than a Ravenclaw in terms of learning, but not as wise. A Ravenclaw would have recognized that learning everything was impossible and selected three subjects at most.

"Anyway," she said, "I can't wait to go back to class! This year is going to be important for our NEWTs, and I want to feel fresh tomorrow morning. Good night Crookshanks!"

_Goodnight_ , he thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, that's it! Thanks to everyone who let a comment under the last to chapters, I really liked reading what you thought of the fic so far. 
> 
> See you next week ;)
> 
> Krummbein


	4. Back to Hogwarts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really, I wasn't expecting so many comments on the last chapter. Thank you so much!!! I hope you will enjoy this one!  
> Krummbein

Regulus had quickly fallen into a routine: he would get up with Hermione and stay with her every morning, going back to sleep until noon when she left for the Great Hall. Hermione would usually come back to say hello and put down the mountain of books she carried with her before taking a quick nap and hastily leave for her next class. Once the dormitory was empty, he would take a shower and leave discreetly for the kitchens, where he would ask for something to eat. He would never stay long there and would go for a walk in the parc, before finding a discreet spot where he could read whatever notes he had copied the previous night.

Going to the library had proven more difficult that he had initially thought: Filch was patrolling every now and then with his horrible cat, and Peeves liked to go and expose the students who were breaking the curfew. Between them, the Perfects and the teachers, Regulus had only been able to go there eight times since September, and he could not stay there all night. He had initially thought that a few weeks would suffice, but now it seemed that he would need months to read everything of interest.

Luckily for him, he was not without occupation. Hermione read a lot, and her last interest was time-travelling which suited Regulus just fine, as he had also been looking for answers about his own situation. Hogwarts's library was a mine of information, but he had yet to find one example that could be compared to his own experience, and he was beginning to think that what had happened to him had not been provoked by a magical being but by Magic itself. If it was the case, he had no idea why he had been sent here.

His favourite moment of the day was before bedtime, when Hermione came back and worked on her essays. She would sit on the farthest table in the common room, usually taking all of the available place and read her notes aloud to memorize them before completing her school work. She talked to him a lot, questioning him or asking about his opinion as if he was one of her classmates. He had found it cute until he had realized that it was because no one else seemed to hold the same interest as her for studying.

She was truly brilliant, but it seemed that she struggled a lot when it came to socialization. As her pet (and unofficial confident), he had learned about her efforts to be part of groups when she was younger, only to find herself being left out by the other kids because of her weirdness and love for knowledge. It had slightly changed with her coming to Hogwarts, apparently, but Regulus was not totally sure that the two boys she called her best friends were the best thing that had happened to her.

She loved them both, she said, but he knew she loved Harry the best. Maybe it was because he seemed to understand her better than the red-headed, having been in a similar situation when he was younger. Or maybe it was because he needed someone to love him, and Hermione had love to give. One night, she had told Regulus that she had unofficially labelled him as her brother, and since then he couldn't stop himself from observing them, remembering the times when he and Sirius were as close as them.

Ronald had apparently been the Harry's first friend, but sometimes he seemed to feel left out and would sulk for hours. In the two months in which Regulus had been there, he had witnessed five fights between the red-headed and Hermione, three being related to Harry. He had known it would happen, given both of their characters, but he had not thought it would take such proportions. Ronald seemed to always know what would hurt Hermione the most, and she would usually wait until bed before bursting into tears. He did not really like those moment, because no one should treat a girl like her that way, especially someone who called himself her friend.

There had also been two fights because of him and Scabbers, but Regulus could not stop being obsessed with the rat. He saw it everywhere, and even if he knew he could not be discovered (only Kneazles and half-Kneazles could detect animagi), he did not like its presence in the Tower, especially that close to one of Harry Potter's best friend, so he tried to get to him every time he could.

He felt the bed shift and looked up to see Hermione, who for once was coming early.

"I'm exhausted, Crookshanks, but it's really worth it. You should have heard professor Vector this morning, it was so interesting! I'm afraid I can't say the same about Divination."

Regulus could not talk but did his best to look at her approvingly . Divination was a pile of rubbish anyway.

"That old bat – I know I shouldn't say that about a professor, but I can't see her as such – told Harry he would die _again_. It's the second time this week, what is she thinking really, that it will give her some credit if something happens to him? There is _always_ something happening to Harry, one would wonder if he is not cursed!"

He looked at her quizzically, and she seemed to notice it.

"Well, there was the troll during first year, the one that helped us become friend…"

_I beg your pardon? Did you just say, a_ troll? he thought, alarmed. There were no trolls in the Forbidden Forest, even less in the Castle! What in Merlin's name had happened for them to encounter one?

"… and then of course there was Quirrel, but before that we had to pass all sorts of tests made by the teachers, so that Harry could finally get to the Philosopher Stone…"

Regulus shook his head rapidly and verified that he had heard correctly. Dumbledore had let someone put one of the rarest and most powerful artefacts in the Wizarding World in a castle full of children, and three of them had been able to get it? Nonsense.

"… and of _course,_ Voldemort was here on the back of Quirrell's head, trying to get the Stone for himself so after their encounter Harry had to stay for a week in the infirmary. I mean it was not as bad as last year when a younger version of Voldemort came out of a diary and tried to kill him, but…"

Regulus had almost stopped listening when he had heard the name of the Dark Lord, and totally blocked what she was saying when he heard the last part of the sentence. He stared at her, aghast, trying to process what he had just heard.

He knew that the Dark Lord had not died, because the Horcrux keeping him alive was still waiting for him at Grimmauld Place, so hearing that he had tried to steal the Stone was not that surprising (only a bit alarming). What had been a shock, however, had been to hear that a younger version of him had come out of a diary. Regulus had read about Horcruxes and, even if a lot of the information he had gathered were just things that were implied, he had been able to learn a few things here and there. For example, that you should consider making a Horcrux while you were still young, as it would not age until being used and thus give you much more time to achieve whatever projects you had.

The diary was (or, had been?) a Horcrux, he was sure of it. There was now other rational explanation. But how was it possible? Who could be mad enough to damage his or her soul by tearing it into more than two pieces? _The Dark Lord, of course_ , Regulus immediately thought. The man had been (was?) totally insane, and seemed highly unstable. Wait, he should be listening to Hermione. Maybe she had said if and how it had been destroyed, maybe it could help him understand how to take care of his own.

"… after that Harry freed Dobby, you should have heard him telling him about it, it must have been glorious! Mr. Malfoy tried to attack him but Dobby defended him brilliantly. That man should be in prison, not only is he the one who gave Ginny that diary, but the way he treated his elf was revolting! They are _beings_ for Christ sake, they should not be treated like that..."

Well, that did not help him at all, in fact, it only seemed to worsen his situation. He remembered clearly Lucius' allusion a few months (years) ago, that he and Bella had been given an honorific task and had to take care of something important to the Dark Lord. The connection between the two events was too suspect to be ignored, and Regulus had the bad feeling that it was the Horcrux that Lucius had been talking about. Which meant than Bella might have one. Which meant that there might be more than two, or even three of them.

Great. Really great. As if his life was not already a mess.

* * *

Halloween's feast had always been one of Regulus' favourite moment of the year: there were a lot of candies (he'd always had a sweet tooth), many meals based on pumpkin (he _loved_ pumpkin) and the Halloween Costuming Contest was always a great moment (Dumbledore's costume in 1978 had set a new fashion for months).

When he opened his eyes that morning, he could almost smell the Special Pumpkin Pies in the air, and that only thought put him in a good mood. He stretched slowly, taking his time to wake his body, and walked next to Hermione before gently waking her with his nose. She fallen asleep crying yesterday, and he felt really bad about it. It was his obsession with the rat that had provoked another dispute with Ronald, and he had decided to stop his attempts for a while. Even if it was the red-headed saying those horrible things to her, it was because of him that it had happened. She was good to him, so he would try to be good to her.

"Good morning Crookshanks," she said with a sleepy voice. "Did you sleep well?"

He meowed before purring contentedly: Hermione had begun scratching the back of his head.

"Good," she said, continuing to pet him. "I won't be coming back before supper, it's the first Hogsmeade weekend and Ron and I want to go there together. I mean…" she stopped, and seemed unsure for a moment, "at least that was the plan until the other day. I suppose we'll see if Ron wants to go with me, he hasn't said much since we fought because of you and Scabbers. You really don't like that rat, do you?" she asked, after a moment.

He hissed for good measure.

"That's what I thought, yes," she replied, smiling. "I don't really like it either. To be honest, I wonder why no one has told him that he couldn't bring it here. The list we received about pets never mentioned rats. Toads, owls and cats, nothing else. I could ask MacGonagall about that, but I don't really want to upset him more than he is… What do you think I should do?" she asked, looking at him thoughtfully.

He yawned, trying to make a statement. Harry was enough, she didn't need to keep that idiot as her friend. And if he could kill two rats with one stone and make the suspicious rodent go, good for him!

"I'm not sure this is a good idea. I don't want to put Harry between us if anything goes wrong… and speaking of Harry, do you think you could check on him while we're in Hogsmeade? I don't want him to try to go with us, I don't know why Sirius Black is after him but it's Halloween and every year something happens. Will you do that for me?"

He gave her a little nudge with his head. He would watch the boy for her, but just this once.

* * *

Regulus had been there when Hermione and her friend had come back from Hogsmeade, looking happier than he had seen her lately. It had pleased him greatly, and it appeared that Ronald had finally decided to stop being stupid. He and Hermione had given Harry lots of sweets before going directly to the Feast. Regulus had left for the kitchen, not wanting to miss the opportunity to eat the Halloween meal. He came back a few minutes before the end of the Feast and waited at the bottom of the staircase, where he knew Hermione would see him. He was tired, and he hoped that she would go to bed early. Her use of the Time-Turner was starting to show its limits, and she had begun staying up later than everyone in order to do her homework.

There was a commotion at the entrance of the Great Hall, and Regulus saw the first students coming out of it. Hermione and her friends appeared a while later and she took him in her arms, petting him while she walked to the Tower. They had reached the corridor leading to the Tower, but it was jammed, and it seemed that the students could not enter.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" Ronald asked, and Regulus suddenly had a bad feeling. What had Hermione said about Halloween's day being cursed? He waited anxiously for the arrival of Dumbledore, and felt his mouth go dry when he saw the state of the portrait. Hermione must have seen it too, because she gasped and grabbed Harry's arm. The Headmaster glanced at the frame, gave some directions to the other teachers but was interrupted by Peeves, who seemed to have witness the entire scene. Regulus and the other Gryffindors listened carefully to the conversation.

"He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see," the poltergeist told Dumbledore. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

* * *

Regulus had decided to ignore his own rules for once and slept curled up against Hermione, hoping it would reassure her a bit. Despite her exhaustion she had not been able to sleep before dawn, worrying about what could have happened to Harry if he had come back early. Regulus had tried to comfort her but the only thing that had seemed to help had been for him to come closer to her and to rub his head against her cheek.

When she had finally fallen asleep, he had begun to think about what to do. Sirius was here, maybe right in the castle. Regulus knew he could not ignore him any longer. He had to track him himself, and to find him. Never mind if it took him a week or a month, he knew his brother was innocent and would not let him go back to Azkaban.

He woke up with the rest of the students, feeling a bit dizzy. Two hours of sleep were clearly not enough, but that would not stop him. He let Hermione hug him one more time before making a quick stop to the kitchens and left the castle behind him.

* * *

He had been walking for hours when he decided that he was done for the day. The sun was already getting low, and he wanted to go back to the castle before the doors were locked for the night. He should have known he would not find his brother anyway. Too many hours had passed since last night, and maybe he had left the castle's ground for good. He was walking by the Whomping Willow when he caught it.

His brother's smell.

Turning his head sharply into its direction, Regulus tried to find its source. The scent was fresh, only a few minutes old, and he tensed at once. His brother, whom he had not seen properly for years and who had been imprisoned in Azkaban, was only a few meters from him. He was beginning to panic, and to wonder if going after Sirius had been such a good idea. Maybe he would not want to listen to what he had to say, and brand him a traitor. Maybe Azkaban had left nothing of his old self, and he was totally mad. Maybe he had been wrong about the Potters, and his brother was a murderer and a supporter of the Dark Lord.

There was only one thing to do.

He took a deep breath and followed the scent. He circled the willow twice before being able to understand that the track was leading him towards the trunk, and spend fifteen minutes trying to get past the blasted thing without being hurt. When he finally entered the tunnel, he had bruises everywhere and a deep cut on one of his leg. The passage must be leading to a secret hiding place, and Regulus wondered who had built such a place inside of Hogwarts, and for what purpose.

The underground passage was made of dirt, and Regulus could feel some roots grasping his fur. It went on and on, and soon he was sure that he had left Hogwarts. It began to rise and twisted suddenly, and he saw a small opening at the end of the passage. Behind it was a room, full of dust and broken furniture, which must have been inhabited at least as long as Grimmauld Place. There was only one room, though, and he wondered why. He could see no door leading to a kitchen or to a bathroom, only a huge bed at the end of the room.

He held his head higher, sniffing for Sirius' scent. It was stronger, now, and he was certain that his brother was hidden there, somewhere. He glanced around, trying to see where he was. Unless he had found one since his escape from Azkaban, he had no wand, and could not disillusion himself or change his appearance.

He entered the room cautiously, looking around and trying to be quiet. He might look like a cat, but Regulus did not know what would be his brother's reaction when he saw him and did not want to take any risk. He followed the scent, walking through the wreckage until he rounded the bed.

Hidden by the bedclothes torn on the ground lay a dark form, huddled up on itself and shaking. It was moving restlessly, trying to find a comfortable position on the floor and whining quietly. The form suddenly stilled and turned its head in Regulus's direction, growling, before stopping when he saw the intruder.

Two things happened simultaneously. Regulus let out a small shocked meow and stiffened, blinking rapidly and realizing that his brother was an animagus at the exact moment when the huge black dog's form shifted into a more human shape.

Before long, a man so pale, so thin that he might have been a corpse stood in front of him, wearing a worn Azkaban uniform and no shoes. He must have been beautiful once, but now he looked like someone who had suffered beyond his capacity and his face only wore the marks of privations and torture. However, the most terrible thing about him was not his appearance, but his eyes. They looked haunted, lifeless, as if all humanity had left them and Regulus backed off rapidly when he saw the man move forward, alarmed by the possibility that he might have gone totally mad. There was a sudden change in the man's demeanour and he squatted down, extending his arm in Regulus' direction and cracking a tentative smile.

"Hey there, kitten, what's your name?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I know you did not enjoy the end. But really, what were you expecting? ;) see you next week


	5. The Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! This is my favourite chapter so far (even if I like everything, I wrote this fic after all). Given the last comments, I think you will enjoy it immensly!!! (23 comments, OMG thank you soooo much!!!)
> 
> PS: if you like dramione as well, I'm going to update my other fic soon today. It's already written, but not all chapters are corrected.
> 
> Krummbein

**July 15 th, Azkaban**

The rat was at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts.

His pup was also at Hogwarts.

With the rat.

The rat was a traitor.

The rat had killed his friends.

The rat was going to kill his pup.

No.

He could not let that happen.

His pup had to live.

He had to save his pup.

He had to find the rat.

He had to kill the rat.

He had to get away from this place.

* * *

**August 6 th, Little Whinging**

His pup was out of the house, with his trunk.

Why was he outside of the house?

Was he leaving?

Was he in danger?

He got closer, trying to see what was happening. His pup must have sensed him coming because he took his wand and casted a _lumos_ , and he fell backwards when he saw him, his wand clutched in his hand. There was a sudden BANG near them, and a huge bus appeared, only a few centimeters from where his pup was.

That was the Knight Bus.

The _magical_ bus.

His pup was going back to his world.

His pup was going to be safe.

Good.

He had to find the rat quickly.

* * *

**October 31 st, Hogwarts**

The rat had been there, in the dormitory, and he had not been able to enter.

The portrait had not accepted to let him in, and he had almost lost it.

He had failed his mission, and he had almost been discovered.

He had to find another way to get in.

He had to save his pup from the rat.

* * *

**November 1 st, The Shrieking Shack**

He was cold and tired, and he felt mentally exhausted. Again, he had relived that awful night in his sleep, and it was enough to make him shiver violently. The old floor was hard under him, and he was trying to find a better place to sit.

He did not want to go on the bed.

He did not deserve it.

There was an unexpected creak behind him, and he stilled before turning around, growling. As soon as he saw the intruder, however, he stopped. It was a half-Kneazle, an animal he knew was highly intelligent and able to detect animagi. He must have smelled him and followed his trail.

He transformed, before trying to carefully approach the cat.

It meowed.

Was it a good meow?

It must have been, because the cat seemed friendly.

He was alone.

He wanted a friend.

The cat could be his friend.

He squatted down, and smiled.

"Hey there, kitten, what's your name?"

* * *

_Oh fuck_.

The cat had disappeared, and in its place, there was a boy, almost a man, that he had not seen for almost fifteen years.

_OH. FUCK._

That was impossible.

Regulus was dead.

This was an imposter.

Maybe a friend of the rat.

"BACK OFF," he barked.

He watched the boy's face fall at the obvious rejection, and suddenly he was reminded of another scene, some twenty years ago, when he had rejected his own brother who had just been sorted into Slytherin.

"Si… Sirius. It's me, Reg," he said, his voice trembling. "I've… I've come to help you."

No. Regulus could not be alive. He had died, the goblins at Gringotts had confirmed it.

He growled.

"My fucking traitor of a brother died years ago," he snarled, his voice on the verge of breaking from the lack of use. "Don't you try to soften me by impersonating him. I hated him, so that won't work." The boy flinched, seemingly hurt. "Don't you recognize me?" he asked, grinning. "I'm Sirius Black, the man who betrayed the Potters and sold them to the Dark Lord. The man who killed a dozen Muggles. The man who escaped from Azkaban. Do you really think that you're going to leave this room alive? I don't need a wand to kill you," he said, a mad smile on his lips.

"No, you haven't betrayed them," the boy – man – said, trying to sound braver than he looked. "You wouldn't have done that to Potter. Me, maybe. But not him. I'm sure of that," he concluded, sharply.

Sirius was taken aback by the venom he heard in his voice.

He sounded almost like…

No.

"Please," Sirius said disdainfully, "if you wanted to pretend to be my brother, you could have remembered that he would be at least thirty years old if he was still alive."

"I… fuck," the stranger said, massaging his temples. "How can I explain why I'm like that when I don't even understand what happened? I don't look like I should because I time-travelled. Forward. I don't know how, really. One minute I am in the lake, drowning, and then I wake up outside of the cave, bump into Cissa and learn that I am supposed to be dead. I go home and learn that Mother and Father are dead as well, and that you're in Azkaban, for a crime you supposedly did but that would seem totally impossible to anyone who knows you like I do. Then the next thing I know you break out of Azkaban, try to enter the Gryffindor's Tower and well, here we are!"

Sirius could not stop himself. He began laughing, and hard. The man stared, apparently wondering if he had gone mad. Maybe he had. Azkaban had a tendency to do that to the prisoners, and he had been one for a while.

"You…," he said, trying to stop the hysterical giggles from escaping his mouth, "… you're trying to tell me that you travelled _forward_ in time? I may be completely lunatic, but you, you've got some serious problems up there, and worse than mine. HA. Forward time-travel. I hadn't laugh like that since Peter blew the building and escaped."

The man froze, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Pettigrew? Peter Pettigrew? He's not dead?"

"Of course, he's not dead, the filthy _rat_ ," he bit out sharply, suddenly serious. "Fucking scum knew I was coming for him after what he had done to James and Lily. He set up the whole thing with the Muggles before cutting one of his fingers and transforming. I didn't even try to follow him, you know? Blasted thing disappeared in the sewers pipes as soon as the Aurors arrived."

"RAT?" the other interrupted. "A fucking _rat_? I KNEW IT."

His knuckles were white from clenching his fist too hard, and Sirius sobered up, listening intently.

"That's him? With the Weasley boy? I knew there was something wrong with the moment I saw his pointy face. He's going to try something, isn't he? Against Harry? He's going to kill him so that the Dark Lord can come back to power, right?" the man asked, frantically.

Sirius starred at him a moment, thinking. Finally, he nodded towards the bed, and said:

"Alright, boy. I think it's time for you to tell me who you _really_ are.

* * *

"I still don't believe it."

"Well, I don't either, but I've been stuck here for almost seven months now, and I don't think I'm ever going back."

"And you've found nothing about that kind of time-travel?"

There were sitting on the dusty bed, Regulus' provisions between them, discussing. It was almost midnight, now, and it had taken Sirius a long time to be convinced of the his identity. Only a combination of tricky questions about their childhood and legilimency had persuaded him that the man in front of him was telling the truth, and they had collapsed in each other's arms, crying.

"Nothing. So far, the only explanation that I've found is that Magic itself believed I had to be saved and transported me here, but I don't know why."

"Well," Sirius began, "you've tried to stop Voldemort and decided to sacrifice yourself after that, maybe Magic thought you could help Harry destroy him for good? Look, you've even found that there had been another Horcrux, that's something."

"I didn't want to survive," his brother spat, looking angry. "I did what I thought was right, but I had no intention to do more. I'm not some bloody Gryffindor trying to defy the Dark Lord openly. I really don't want him to find me if he comes back. _When_ , he comes back," he said, darkly.

"That's totally sick, what he's done," Sirius told him. "And I hate to know that Harry had to face him twice more since he's arrived at Hogwarts. One thing is clear, I don't trust Dumbledore anymore."

"You don't?" his brother asked, surprised. "You were the one who told us he was the kind of man you wanted to become, one day."

"Well, I've changed my mind after being imprisoned in Azkaban, and decided it had been a good decision when you told me about Harry's childhood. I knew Petunia hated Lily, but still…"

"There's another thing I don't understand," Regulus began. "How come he never helped you get out of Azkaban? He knew you were innocent, he's the one who did the ritual. Merlin, he even testified at Snape's trial! So why didn’t he try to understand what had happened with Pettigrew?"

Sirius sighted, trying to find the words.

"I told you I had my doubts when I understood that he would not let me out of Azkaban, but I think I've finally found why he did that. He did not want me near Harry, simple as that."

"… What do you mean, exactly?"

"That's easy. He knew Harry's aunt hated him, and he knew that something would happen to him while he was there. And he knew that I would not accept it. Why he needed him to stay with her, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure me being in prison meant no one else would care of what happened to my Godson."

"… Do you realize what you're implying?"

"That Dumbledore intentionally endangered The Boy-Who-Lived? Yes. I'll even say that he must have been baiting Voldemort with the Philosopher's stone. Honestly, three first-year being able to pass the combined tests of half of the staff? That shouldn't have happened, even if they are more intelligent than average. All of the teachers are certified Masters, and I can't believe that no one was able to find a better charm to lock the door."

"I think I see what you mean," Regulus answered, looking thoughtful.

"Yeah… One thing is sure, we need to get the rat, and we need to get it soon. If old Voldy was able to possess someone two years ago, he is still trying to come back. With the rat out of the way, at least we know that my Godson is safe in his own dormitory."

He could not say at Hogwarts, not with Harry attacked twice in the castle.

"Don't worry, brother, we're going to find a way. You've been able to enter the castle once; with my help you'll be able to go into the dormitories and get the rat. I'll make sure to stop attacking him."

"That's a good start but it won't be enough. He knows I'm coming for him; we'll have to act fast if we don't want him to leave the castle."

"You're right, of course. And as soon as we have him, you'll be free to go."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked. "When we have him, we kill him."

"Wait," Regulus interrupted, straightening. "You want to kill him and miss the chance of being freed of all your charges and take care of your Godson? Are you serious?"

"I…" he stammered. "I must say I had not thought of that at all."

"You're kidding, are you? No, you're not," his brother deadpanned after looking at him.

"Of course, I'm not. The idea of killing him has been my only source of joy in that damned prison, did you thought I would change my mind after twelve years dwelling on that?"

"I'm sorry, I hadn't thought of that. It must have been terrible here, right?"

"Yeah," Sirius said, shivering at the thought of the Dementors. "Yeah, it was terrible."

Neither of them spoke for a while, and it was Sirius who decided to lighten the mood.

"So, tell me, dear brother, how come you chose a _girl's_ dormitory?"

Regulus blushed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BLACK BROTHERS REUNION \o/
> 
> I know the beginning of the chapter may be weird to read, but I wanted to take into account the fact that Sirius had been imprisonned for years and had used his animagus for years as well. 
> 
> What do you think of this (not so) unexpected developpment?
> 
> Until next time ;)  
> Krummbein


	6. Cat, Rat, and Dog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> New chapter here :)  
> I'm sorry I won't be able to answer to you comment this week, I'm not home and it's harder from my phone. But thank you so much for your support, I love reading what you thought of the chapters :)
> 
> Kummbein

Regulus had stopped his nightly visits at the library and decided that his first priority – besides catching the rat – was to take care of his brother. Sirius had not looked alright when he had first seen him, but he soon discovered that his state was worse than he had previously thought.

Sirius suffered from various problems, the main one being malnutrition. Azkaban prisoners were highly stigmatized, and no one cared if they ate only twice a week, or were starved until the guards found their supplications not amusing anymore. He also had a severe deficiency in vitamin D, due to the lack of sun in his cell, a decrease in his muscle mass, due to the lack of exercise, and one should not look too close at his teeth, that had been neglected for over a decade. Mentally speaking, he suffered of chronic depression, hallucinations and nightmares, and Regulus knew that without the help of a specialist, he might never make a full recovery.

He had been able to force the medical cabinet of the infirmary and to take various potions that he had administrated to his brother during the first week of his stay. After that, he had decided that a trip to the nearest potion store was in order: Mrs. Pomfrey would quickly realize that something was up if her medication kept disappearing.

It only took a month for Sirius to get better, and soon he and Regulus agreed that it was time to begin planning their attack. They had decided that a nightly infiltration in the dorms would be better, as Regulus would be able to open the portrait to let him enter the Tower when everyone was asleep, but they were still having trouble deciding whether or not he should stay in his cat-form.

Both of them knew that it was a good idea for him to keep his identity a secret, as he would be able to stay near Harry if something went wrong during their mission. However, two wizards were better than a wandless wizard and a cat, and in the end, they decided that Sirius needed a wand and Regulus had to leave Hogwarts for a day, so that he could buy one on the black market. It wouldn't be as good as a legal one, but it was better than nothing.

In the meantime, Regulus tried to stay close to Hermione and her Gryffindor friends. It was hard for him to stop going after the rat, but it seemed that even Ronald noticed his new behaviour. It was a good thing, as he was finally able to visit the boy's dorm once in a while and even slept on Harry's bed one night. When he realized the next morning that his rat was still alive, Ronald reluctantly admitted that maybe he had been wrong about him.

Hermione was another story. At the beginning of October, Regulus had thought she would drop at least one of her extra-classes, but it seemed that he had been completely wrong. She had now completely shut out from her friends and spend her time working, sleeping three to four hours at night when she was not having a sleepless one. Her friends had tried to make her quit Divination – even her dormmates had realized that she hated that class - but she would not hear any of their arguments. Worse, their request only strengthened her will to work more and to succeed.

He was beginning to worry for her health, and he had even wondered if he should not put some Sleeping Draught in her mug one evening, just to get her to sleep more. Before he could do that, however, she fainted in one of her classes and had to stay at the infirmary for a night because of her state. Let's just say that she had not been happy about that at all. Regulus had heard her complain about the Matron's decision for days.

November had quickly dissolved into December, and the first snows had begun to fall, adding yet another difficulty to Regulus' escapades.

"Christmas Holidays!" he said one night, when he arrived at the cave. His fur had been covered with powdery snow, and he was shaking his head to remove what was left of it.

"What of it?" Sirius asked, surprised. He had a manual about dental care opened in front of him and was trying to improve the state of his teeth, looking at a small mirror.

"Almost everyone goes home, but not our trio. The boys will be alone in the dormitory. That's when we make our move."

"Brilliant! Even the patrols will be lessened, how come we hadn't thought of that before?" Sirius pondered. "I'll be with you in a minute, if you don't mind. I've installed the extra-duvet in a corner, feel free to use it to take a quick nap if you want."

Regulus accepted his offer, turning back into Crookshanks. It was not the most comfortable bed, but at least it fulfilled its purpose. After Sirius had felt better, they had quickly left the Shack, as Regulus had learned that Lupin was a werewolf and used it during the full moon. He had tried not to ask what Dumbledore was thinking when he had accepted the boy into Hogwarts, and tried not to question the man's sanity when he had hired him as a teacher. Sirius had told him that the Shack was warded during the full moon and that nothing had ever happened, but Regulus couldn't help but remember the strange tale Severus had told him some years ago, concerning a prank that could have gone wrong in an inhabited house.

Sirius had said he wouldn't mind sleeping near the edges of the forest, or try to find somewhere to sleep in Hogsmeade, but Regulus would hear nothing of it and searched the area for a hideout. Another solution would have been for his brother to go back to Grimmauld Place, but his brother said he would rather sleep in the forest than in that house. It had taken less than a week to find the cave, their sharp senses helping them finding a secure place rapidly.

"Alright, I'm done," his brother told him an hour later. "A professional would have done better but this is still an improvement."

"Glad you can finally eat properly, brother," Regulus replied, stretching. "I think I won't stay here very late; tomorrow is Hogsmeade day, and I'm pretty sure Hermione will ask me to watch Harry again. No one wanted to sign is form," he added, answering Sirius' questioning look, "I suppose they feared you might attack him in the village."

"Oh. I thought I might go out and check if anything was alright for him. I've only seen him once since I've left Azkaban. He sure looks like James, right?" he asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Regulus replied. "But at least he's not a bully. From what I've heard, his cousin did the same kind of stuff you did to me or Sev', so I'm not surprise he's on the soft side…"

Sirius had the decency to look guilty.

"Look, about that… I'm sorry it ever happened. We were young and we were stupid, I'll admit it. But I want to make things right for my pup, and if I have to apologize to Severus too, then I'll do it. I don't want him to harass Harry because of what his father and I did when we were young."

"Remind me to take a picture if that happens, no one will believe me."

"Arse," his brother replied, grinning.

* * *

Sirius had arrived in the castle an hour before the closing of the doors, disillusioned, and he had waited until three in the morning to enter the Tower. As arranged the day before, Regulus had opened the door and let him in, and he had quietly crossed the Common Room. The lights were out and the fire almost extinguished, but Sirius' sight did not suffer too much from the lack of light. After all, he had spent seven years here, and it wasn't his first nightly expedition. Regulus waited for him at the bottom of the stairs, and they both climbed them until they reached the dorm. Sirius changed back to his human form and took a deep breath before silencing the door and entering the dormitory, his brother on his trail.

He was breathing rapidly, now, and he was almost sure that he would break his wand before the end of the night because of his nervous state. He closed the door quickly, warded it, and moved towards the bed he knew was Ronald's. Regulus quietly jumped on the boy's nightstands, taking their wands away. Sirius' arm moved on his own, and he saw himself tearing the hangings on the boys' bed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The lights went on, and he saw that Harry had awoken.

"What's going on?" he asked, sleepily.

"BLACK! SIRIUS BLACK! WITH A WAND POINTED ON MY FACE!"

" _What_?"

Regulus had jumped on Harry's chest, trying to stop him from moving.

"Crookshanks?" he asked, surprised. "What the… Where's my wand?"

"Gone," Sirius replied, and Harry turned his head in his direction.

For the first time in years, he and his Godson looked at each other. Sirius felt his heart stop for a second.

"You…" Harry said, his voice trembling from anger. "YOU. You came here to finish your job, didn't you?"

"My job?" Sirius let out a nervous laughter.

"Harry," the Weasley boy said, "I think you shouldn't… OUCH, SCABBERS WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?" he screamed, trying to keep his rat in his hands.

"The rat…" Sirius begun, and Regulus jumped on the ginger, trying to get it.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, BLACK, I'M HERE!" roared Harry, jumping from his bed.

With a shift from his wand, Harry and Weasley were restricted by thick ropes.

"BASTARD," the black-haired boy continued screaming, trying to break free, "CAN'T EVEN FIGHT LIKE A PROPER WIZARD?"

"Not here for you, boy," Sirius said dismissively. He had moved towards the ginger's bed and was trying to make him open his hands, were the rat was stuck. Harry looked stunned by his reaction.

"You killed my parents…," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly.

Sirius froze, the rat finally in his hands. 

"I won't deny it," he said, very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story…"

"The whole story?" his Godson asked, his voice finally steady. "I know the whole story. You betrayed them, and Voldemort killed them. Simple really."

Sirius turned his head away, focusing on the rat.

"What… what are you going to do with Scabbers?" Weasley suddenly interrupted, forcing a brave voice. "He's just a rat."

"Just a rat?" Sirius burst out laughing. "Boy, this _rat_ is the reason why I came all the way from Azkaban."

Both boys looked at each other, obviously wondering if he had gone mad. The rat was now trashing desperately in his hands, undoubtedly sensing that his time was up.

"Tell me, Harry, what do you know about Pettigrew?"

His Godson gave him an odd look, but answered nonetheless.

"He was a Gryffindor in your year, one of my parents' best friend and a member of the Order during the War. When my parents were murdered, he found you and accused you of betraying them before you blew up the street where you were, and killed him and a dozen of Muggles. The only found one finger left," he concluded bitterly.

"Quite correct, pup. And you, Weasley, what unusual physical feature does your rat have?"

The red-headed thought for a while before turning a ghostly shade of white and swallowing hard.

"He's… he's missing a toe, sir."

"Very good. Now, boys, have you heard of animagi?"

* * *

"They're here, professors…" the Weasley boy told Dumbledore, letting him enter the dormitory.

Regulus watched as Lupin, MacGonagall and Dumbledore came in, slowly observing the scene in front of them. It had been Sirius' idea to summon other teachers, as he feared that Dumbledore might try to use the situation to his own advantage. Once free, Sirius intended to ask for Harry's custody and he was pretty sure that the director would not let the boy go willingly.

Once he had told the story to the boys, and transformed a petrified Peter in front of them, Sirius had asked Harry to give Ronald his map (another very suspect item, Regulus thought) and told him to go to Lupin to explain the situation. The man would know that the map was not lying. They had then gone to McGonagall's office, and finally to Dumbledore's. It had taken less than an hour, during which Sirius and Harry had discussed, while Regulus had looked after the rat.

Regulus had left with Ronald, transforming back into his human form before disillusioning himself and discreetly coming back into the room as Crookshanks. Dumbledore had a knack for discovering things he ought not, and both brothers had decided that Regulus should stay in the Tower after Sirius had left. There were many reasons, Harry's safety or his own researches, but mainly they had agreed that the wanted to know if Severus could be on their side. If anyone knew about Horcruxes, it was him.

"Merlin, I can't believe it!" Minerva said, putting her hand on her heart. "It's really him, Albus! But how, how…" she asked, looking from Pettigrew to Sirius.

"I think I know how, Minerva," Lupin said quietly. "You switched, didn't you?" he asked Sirius, his voice breaking a little because of the emotion. "I understood as soon as I saw him on the map. You thought it would be too obvious if you were the Secret Keeper, didn't you?"

Sirius didn't answer but nodded, his eyes beginning to shine a little.

"You mean…" Minerva seemed confused for a moment, and suddenly her mouth opened widely, as if she had inally understood something. "ALBUS!" she screeched. "You knew Sirius was innocent, and you let him rot in Azkaban?"

"I… Well, Minerva," Dumbledore stammered, "I…"

"The boy never even had a trial, for Merlin's sake!"

"Minerva, really…"

"YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE, ALBUS!" she shouted, and Regulus almost felt bad for the older wizard. "You've seen Potter when he arrived in first year, that would never had happened if he had been with his Godfather!"

"Sirius being free wouldn't have changed anything about that, Minerva," Dumbledore finally answered, sounding a bit irritated. "The Dursley's home offer Harry a protection that Sirius cannot!"

"What do you mean?" his brother asked sharply. "The boy is evidently mistreated, what kind of protection do you think he had against his own relatives?"

"Yeah," Harry said bitterly, clearly annoyed by what he was hearing, "I'd like to understand that too, Professor."

Dumbledore looked around a saw that no one was going to take his side. He sighted, before sitting on the nearest bed.

"There are two things I want you to understand. Firstly, I'll admit that I knew Sirius was innocent, at least from the Potter's murder. However, when I learned what had happened after that, I never tried to search for another explanation. I knew about the prank he had played on Severus during his sixth year, and I knew that he had used violence more than once during his stay at Hogwarts. For me, the simplest explanation was that he had cornered Pettigrew, who had tried to accuse him of his own guilt, and he had killed him, as well as the innocent Muggles around them. In my eyes, he was still a murderer and deserved to be in Azkaban."

Everyone was staring at him expectantly, and he continued.

"Secondly, there is a very good reason for Harry's forced stay at his Muggle relatives every year. When she died, Lily Potter's sacrifice protected her son from Voldemort, and the curse he had casted bounced back on him, saving Harry from Death. However, that protection is still active, and more importantly still active against Voldemort, as long as he stays with a member of his mother's family. I'm sorry to say that, for his well-being, he will have to keep living there, even if you are freed, Sirius."

"You can't expect me to believe this bullshit," Sirius spat, looking angry. "And what do you mean, ' _if I'm freed_ '? Pettigrew is alive – five witnesses, including yourselves, have seen him – and you just said that he had been the Secret Keeper of James and Lily. And well-being, are you sure we are talking about the same boy? If we take this in front of the Wizengamot, Albus, I win, and you know it. Even without your so-called protection – you know that for it to be active, the welcoming family member must be willing to shelter the protected one, right? – Grimmauld Place as more protection than Malfoy Manor."

"I suppose you do have a point, Sirius," Dumbledore said reluctantly after a few seconds. "Maybe Harry would be better with you."

Sirius was about to answer when a small voice interrupted them.

"Hum, professors?" Regulus heard Hermione ask, sounding a bit alarmed. "What is Sirius Black doing in Harry's dormitory, free, and who's _that_ man, tied on Ron's bed?"

* * *

Severus was having a very bad day.

He been had awoken early because a nightmare, were Sirius Black escaped on the back of a Hippogriff, helped by Potter and Granger. He had not been able to go back to sleep and had decided to correct some essays until breakfast. Unluckily for him, it had been the third-years pile, and the Gryffindor one. He had viciously graded Potter's copy (a T, for Terribly sorry to say that you will never pass my class, Mr. Potter, can't wait for you to finally enter your fifth year) before leaving for the Great Hall.

It was Christmas Eve, and only a few students and teachers at decided to stay at the castle. That explained why his eyes easily found the man that should not have been there in the first place.

Sirius Black.

Seating on the teacher's side of the table.

On his chair.

Eating _his_ special pudding.

Fuck.

As he crossed the Hall, passably irritated, and wand in the hand ready to fire, he had been stopped by a very happy Fudge who proceeded to explain that Sirius was innocent, that Pettigrew had done it all, and that his nemesis was free to go when he was done eating breakfast with his Godson and his friends.

Then, Severus did something he thought he would never do in his life.

He swore, loudly, in front of some six astounded students, a very unhappy Minerva and a laughing Sirius Black.

Almost twelve hours later, he could still not understand why Fate hated him that much and had spent his day grading the rest of his essays, taking out his frustration on the copies of his innocent students (not so innocent, he thought bitterly when he remembered his nightmare with Potter and Granger. Somehow, they must have something to do with Black's sudden release).

He looked at his watch and saw that it was past dinner time. He did not feel hungry at all, and decided that a nice cup of herbal tea would suffice for the evening. He made his own blend, thanks to Pomona's wonderful garden, and it was far superior to whatever insipid beverage Trelawnay had tried to give him the time when he had insinuated he had had a hard time to fall asleep.

He was coming back from his kitchenette when he heard the door leading to his office close, and he came nose-to-muzzle with the ugliest half-Kneazle he had ever seen in his life. It glared at him, and Severus wondered what plans Fate had for him now.

"Blasted thing," he muttered through his teeth, looking at the horrible beast. "How did you enter? I'm pretty sure I warded everything after I arrived."

He turned around, looking for his wand to get rid of the intruder, when something moved behind him. When he heard the cat talk with the voice of his deceased best friend, he almost dropped his cup of tea.

"I know you've always hated cats, Sev', but surely you can make an exception for me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I LOVE the last part. Because Severus, you know.
> 
> See you next week <3
> 
> Krummbein


	7. Telling the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, important chapter ahead! I don't have much to tell, really, so enjoy :)
> 
> Krummbein

Severus had changed a lot since he'd last seen him, but it wasn't really his appearance that shocked Regulus the most. No. It was how miserable he looked. He'd never seemed particularly happy, of course, and without the Marauders, that alone would have made his time at Hogwarts hard. Everyone had liked to make fun of Severus, the Boy-Who-Never-Smiled. But now, it seemed that the only idea of living was too much for him, and that made Regulus shiver. Was it what one looked like, having lost the love of your life?

"Funny seeing you here, Black," Severus said when he had recovered from his shock. "It was surprising to meet your brother in the Great Hall this morning, but that was bound to happen at some point seeing that he had broken free from Azkaban. Seeing you, however, is quite confusing. I clearly remember going to your funerals."

"Can't blame you really," Regulus answered, his eyes glued on the hands of his friend – he was trying to summon his wand discreetly, and he took care of the problem by binding Severus' hands to his chest. The man narrowed his eyes at him, angry. "I don't understand what happened myself, but here we are, as if nothing had changed since the last time we last saw each other."

"Excuse-me," his friend told him, eying him skeptically. "I changed. You, however, did _not_. I only know of one way to cheat Time to that extent, and I don't really like knowing you used it. Provided that you're really who you are, of course. But Polyjuice only works if the sample provider is alive, and the tapestry said you were dead. Your mother had it expertized, and the wizard who worked on it guaranteed her that it was not defective. And as no one would have been able to look _and_ sound exactly like you, more than ten years after your supposed death, I think it's only fair to recognize that you are the real Regulus Black."

Regulus' lips twitched a little.

"Good thinking, Sev'. I should have bet you knew about things like eternal youth. Dark Magic and all. So, did the Dark Lord entrusted you with an Horcrux, too? Lucius had one, after all, and Bella too from what I gathered. Did you get promoted after I disappeared?"

If he still had his cup of the in his hands, Regulus wagered Severus would have dropped it on the floor.

"How do you know _He_ even had one?"

"Easy. I found it."

Severus was unable to hide his surprise and looked at him, baffled.

"No way."

"And yet, I've got it. Not here in the castle, of course," he added, when he saw the alarmed look cross his friend's face, "creepy thing, tried to get into my head for at least twenty-four hours before I was able to craft some wards around it. But I've got it."

"How did you learn about it?" Severus asked, and Regulus could tell he was interested despite his sour expression.

"Remember, when He asked for Kreacher? He wanted him to place it in a safe place and, once it was done, let him die. However, He had not planned on me asking Kreacher to come back once his task was fulfilled, and that's how I learned about it."

"I see…" Severus answered, slowly. "Is that how you created yours? By studying it? I could have sworn the Black Library had enough books on the subject."

"Give me some credits, Sev'," Regulus spat venomously. "You know I was pressured by my family to get in, and do you really think I would have done such a terrible thing to my soul? I took it to destroy it, of course."

Severus took his time before answering, looking torn.

"I'm having a hard time believing you, Regulus. To begin with, you're not a hero, and I don't see you going after one of the Dark Lord's most treasured artifact, knowing what would happen if you were discovered. Secondly, if you didn't create your own Horcrux, how come you still look like you were eighteen? I don't see any other explanation, and as you said before, I'm _very_ knowledgeable about the Dark Arts. Finally, you've had more than ten years to get rid of it, how come you were not able to do so?"

"Very simple for the first question, trickier for the two other ones." Regulus answered. "I knew the Dark Lord would not forgive me if I destroyed it, so I decided to let the inferi take me to the bottom of the lake that surrounded the Horcrux, and to ask Kreacher to take care of the artifact. However, and that's the tricky part, as well as the answer for questions two and three, I woke up perfectly alright, fourteen years in the future, with the Horcrux in my pocket."

"You can't expect me to believe any of that," Severus scoffed. "Maybe the part where you willingly sacrificed yourself – your brother _was_ a Gryffindor after all, maybe he instilled some of his stupid ideas inside your head – but I've studied time-travel for years and I can assure you that you can only go back in time, not the contrary."

"Well, that was the only rational explanation I had. The other solution is that Magic itself did it but, as I've told my brother before, I don't understand why it chose to save _me_ instead of someone who deserved it."

"Merlin, you _had_ to be the one behind Black's escape," Severus said, rolling his eyes. "I knew there was still a chance for this day to get worse."

"Actually, he did that himself. I just helped him get the rat."

"I don't care for the details. Black is out and that only is enough to make me sick."

"You'll have to accept it, especially if we're going to work together."

"I beg your pardon?" Severus' head straightened automatically.

"You know that I've betrayed the Dark Lord. You know about the Horcrux, and therefore you know that the he can't really die. I don't intend to be the one to bring him done, but if I can help by making him weaker, I'll do it. However, I haven't found any clues about destroying an Horcrux, and that's where you come in. I'm pretty sure you have access to books I haven't found yet, or maybe you already have the information I'm looking for. I'm also pretty sure that you were not a huge supporter of the Dark Lord, at least when you joined. I've also read about your trial, and the fact that you were apparently working as a spy for the Order. But that's the official version, and I need to be sure. Who do you really serve, Severus? Dumbledore? Or the Dark Lord?"

Severus took his time to answer, looking heartbroken when he finally raised his head in Regulus' direction.

"My loyalty lied, and still lies, towards Lily."

* * *

"He doesn't trust Dumbledore."

"Really?"

"Yes. I haven't asked for the details, but he told me that he didn't approve of some of his actions and wants to help protect Harry."

"Interesting. Are you sure he wasn't lying?"

Sirius took a sip of his butterbeer and glanced away, looking at the fire roaring in the hearth. He had been into the house for two weeks now, but the kitchen was the only place that looked welcoming (compared to Azkaban cells, at least), and for that reason they had decided to hold their conversation there.

"Of course. We both took his Veritaserum, there's no way it wasn't working."

"Alright, I believe you, even if I don't want to. If there's one thing he's good at, it's potions. How come he had some? I thought it was illegal to use, unless you were a member of the Auror department?"

"Apparently, Dumbledore asked him to make some in case they found you."

"I bet he would have loved to be the one pouring it in my throat," Sirius said bitterly.

Regulus tried not to look too uncomfortable when he answered.

"I think he would have like that, yes."

"I fucked up everything, right?" Sirius asked quietly. "Our relationship, him, James and Lily…"

"I won't try to deny anything concerning Sev' or myself, but don't blame yourself for what happened to the Potters. How could you know Pettigrew would turn to be a traitor?"

"Still. I should have suspected something. I shouldn't have trust anyone."

"Brother…" Regulus begun, putting his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "The past is the past. There's nothing you can change, and you know it. But you can still do some good, by taking care of their son, and getting rid of the Dark Lord once and for all."

"Your right. Harry's well-being is my first, and only priority."

Regulus smiled and squeezed his shoulder, before falling back into his chair.

"Speaking of Voldemort. Does he know how to destroy an Horcrux?"

"Yes. Basilisk's venom. The problem is that we don't have any, and Harry is the only one able to access the chamber were the skeleton lays, and he suspects that the entry is now monitored by Dumbledore," Regulus answered, shaking his head.

"Crap."

"There's another problem," he continued slowly, wondering how he could announce the delicate information. "He agreed with me that there might be more than two."

Sirius spit out his butterbeer, before coughing violently. Regulus got up and patted him on the back, waiting until he got better.

"More… more than two? One is already too much, and two is totally mad. But three? How insane was the bastard?"

"I myself thought there were three, so I wasn't surprised when he told me about his own suspicions. Turns out he thought of the same event, and we agreed it might be significant. You know we've got the locket, and we're sure that that Lucius's diary was an Horcrux as well. The thing is, we think Bella was given one too. Of course, we might be wrong, but the event we're talking about is too suspicious to exclude the possibility."

"Well," Sirius said finally, "I suppose it's a good thing that we already know about two of them, and that we only have one to take care of. At least we have a chance to kill Voldemort for good. However, I'd rather we find another way to destroy it than venom. Going into the Chamber will be harder if Dumbledore monitors it, and I'm not comfortable using Harry like that. Does Snape have another idea?"

"Not at the moment, but he told me that Dumbledore himself might have taken an interest in the matter. He found him studying the Diary after it was brought by Potter, and he looked annoyed. Maybe he doesn't suspect what it is yet, but he knows it's really Dark Magic and will surely look into it."

Sirius groaned and put his head into his hands.

"Merlin, it's so frustrating. It we don't find another way to destroy it, we'll have to avoid Dumbledore's protections and to ask Harry for his assistance. And that means you'll have to stay at Hogwarts, because there's no way I'll let him go there alone."

"To be honest," Regulus told him, "I think I should stay there anyway."

"Really? Why?"

"Harry told you what happened during the two previous years, right? Of course, at the time, he had no adult to confide into, and it's great to know that he has you as a parental figure now. But we both know that, even with the mirror you gave him, there might be some delay between the moment you learn that something is wrong, and the moment you can do something about it. I'm with them most of the time, and, if something happens, I can intervene faster than you."

"You have a point," he admitted. "If you're willing to stay in Hogwarts as a cat, I won't stop you, especially if you can help my Godson when I can't. But then, maybe we should reveal your identity too. That way, they'll be able to go for you when they think that something is wrong. We know they don't like waiting for an adult when they think there's a danger," he added grimly.

"I've had the same concern, yes. We should tell them when they come, during the holidays. And I think we should meet with Severus. I'm not sure we should invite Lupin, however. What do you think?"

"I trust Moony," his brother said. "I made the mistake to let him in the dark once, but I won't do it again. He deserves to know what's happening."

"Good. One last thing: do we tell the kids about the Horcruxes and the Dark Lord? I'm not sure it's a good idea to do things behind their back. Firstly, because they have a tendency to find themselves in dangerous situations, even when the adults try to protect them. Secondly, Harry is directly concerned by the matter, seeing that he is targeted by Him. He also knows a lot, and he tells Hermione and Ronald everything."

Sirius sighed loudly and massaged his temples slowly before turning back to Regulus.

"I don't want to involve them. Honestly, they've already seen too much. But you're right, again, and we should tell Harry what we know, or at least enough so that he won't feel left out. I have no right to tell Hermione and Ronald, but I'm sure they'll learn everything we tell Harry."

"Fair enough. But when He comes back, we'll have to tell them the truth."

"Yes," Sirius agreed. "But for their sake, I hope it won't be before they're all adults."

They stopped talking and stayed a while contemplating the fire in front of them. Finally, Regulus stood up, and took his coat.

"If we're done, then I'll be going. It's late, and I need to go back to the castle before the sun is up. I'll see you in a few weeks, when Hermione comes."

"Right," Sirius nodded. "Reg?" he asked suddenly, and Regulus stopped, turning back to look at him. Sirius was smiling widely, and Regulus immediately suspected he wasn't going to like what his brother was about to say. He looked like he was about to prank someone. "I can't wait to watch the girl's reaction when she discovers the truth."

* * *

The atmosphere in the room was tensed, and Regulus was now wondering why he ever thought organizing a meeting was a good idea. Sirius and Severus had initiated a glaring contest as soon as they had sat at the table and, if look could kill, both men would have died the second they had looked at each other. Lupin was still in shock after he had seen Regulus alive, and learned that he had travelled in time. He now looked torn between disbelief and guilt every time he looked at him, making Regulus feel very uncomfortable.

"Right. I'd like to thank you both for coming so late, Severus, Remus. I wanted us to meet sooner but I know you both are very busy and I myself can't come whenever I want." Severus sneered when he said that. "Yes, Severus, thank you for opinion on the subject."

"Oh, you know," his friend said dismissively, "your sexual preferences don't interest me in the least. Some men like other men, other like know-it-all with unmanageable hairs and bucked teeth. Who am I to judge, really?"

Regulus rolled his eyes, before muttering something about unfaithful friends, and Severus looked very proud of himself. He should _never_ have told him the truth about his secret identity. The man didn't want to be there, and he was making him pay the hard way.

"Wait a minute, are you talking about Hermione Granger?" Lupin asked worriedly, glancing at the potion Master. "Am I missing something?" he inquired in Sirius' direction.

"Well, hmm…" Sirius begun, eying his brother uneasily. "You see, when I met him, he was..."

"I'm an animagus," Regulus cut in, sparing his brother having to tell the truth, "and I've been posing as Hermione's half-Kneazle since September."

"YOU WHAT?" Lupin asked, turning white.

"I've told you about my situation. I was looking for information Hogwarts was the only place where I thought I might find something on the subject. I had to find a way to get into the castle so, I became an animagi, and Hermione adopted me. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Nothing wrong?" Lupin begun quietly. "You're living _with her_ , in the Tower. No, wait. You're living in the _girl's dormitory_." His voice was getting louder and louder, and Regulus knew he was about to snap.

"I sleep next to Hermione, yes, but trust me when I say I tried to sleep on the sofa in the common room. She won't let me."

"YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH AN _UNDERAGE_ _STUDENT_!" Lupin screamed, outraged.

"I'M SLEEPING ON THE SAME _BED_ AS A STUDENT," Regulus responded, "THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING AT ALL! I'M NOT EVEN UNDER THE BLANKETS."

"Children, children," Severus interrupted, looking bored, but Regulus knew he was enjoying himself immensely. "We have more important matters to worry about, don't you think?"

"More important matters? Snape, we're talking about the integrity of one or several of our students. How can we be sure he's not spying on them while they change?" Lupin asked, horrified.

"I _told_ you, I'm not like that," Regulus spat angrily, glaring at the older man. "I've always been very careful not to come back before they are asleep and it's not really hard, Hermione is always the last one to go to bed. And she changes _in_ the bathroom."

That did not seem to satisfy the werewolf, but he did not have a chance to say anything else because Sirius stopped their debate.

"We should stop talking about that. Moony, I trust my brother on the subject. Poor boy was raised as a Pureblood, do you really think he can say 'breast' without blushing?"

Severus and Lupin sneered, and Regulus flushed crimson.

"SIRIUS, _please!"_ Regulus said, mortified.

His brother fell back in his chair but did not stop smirking.

"Right. The _real_ subject of tonight's reunion was to bring together the information we have about te Dark Lord, and to decide how to stop him from coming back, or make his return as short as possible. Sooooo," Regulus said, trying to trying to break the renewed tension. "Who's got an idea?"

"I think we should summarize what we know happened so far, and then you can explain what you discovered, Regulus," the potion Master proposed after a long moment of silence, finally looking away from his nemesis.

"Right. The Dark Lord disappeared on the night of the 31st of October, some twelve years ago. Most people thought he was dead, but a few of them suspected it was only temporary. Indeed, two years ago, he came back at Hogwarts, sharing the body of Quirinus Quirrell, apparently incapable of surviving without his help. We don't know what happened between his disappearance and his return to our world, but as we don't have other proofs of an earlier attempt to come back. I think we can all agree that he was too weak to return on his own until then. Any remarks so far?"

"I'd like to say what you're telling is not the truth," Lupin said, "but I discussed with Dumbledore before coming at Hogwarts this year – I'm the Defense teacher, after all – and he told me about that. The thing I don't understand, however, is how he was able to survive. From what he told Sirius when we discovered him, Harry was protected by Lily's sacrifice that night" – Both Sirius and Severus winced ostensibly – "but it was the Killing Curse that he casted, and no one should be able to survive that normally, even him."

"We'll talk about that soon," Regulus promised. "In fact, we're going to talk about it now. I suppose he told you about the opening of the Chamber, last year?"

"Correct."

"Did he say _who_ had done it?"

"Not exactly," Lupin answered. "He just said it was the Heir of Slytherin, but he quickly added that he was no longer here."

"Yes and no," Regulus told him. "We know for sure that it was a younger version of the Dark Lord who opened it, the same that opened it some fifty years ago."

"The sa... what do you mean, the same? As in, he hadn't aged at all?"

"Correct. And that's where we address the subject of the Dark Lord's survival. Horcruxes."

"I don't think I've ever heard about them," Lupin said. "What are they, exactly?"

"The darkest magic we know of," Severus answered, his voice no more than a murmur. "There are rumors of Great Wizards using them across the ages, but Herpo the Foul is the only man we know for sure created one. An horcrux," he carried on, his lips barely moving, "is an object that allows its owner to cheat Death. However, the concept itself is so horrible that even Dark Wizards thought it was unhuman to create one, and the consequences so great that even drinking unicorns' blood is considered trivial compared to that."

"Merlin," his colleague breathed, "what _are_ those things?" 

"Pieces of someone's soul," Severus answered.

Sirius inhaled sharply, and Lupin looked like he was about to throw up. No one talked for a moment. Regulus couldn't blame them, really. Even knowing the truth, he found it hard to hear it said out loud.

"You're not joking, are you?" Lupin asked. "This is real. That thing in the Chamber was one part of his soul, preserved since the moment he cut it. That's why he couldn't die, and that's why he was able to possess someone. He made one."

"Truth is," Sirius said, "he made at least one more."

"No, no," the werewolf stammered. "Imagining someone splitting his or her soul in two is already maddening, but it three or four pieces? No way."

"Sadly, that's the truth. The diary might have been his first but was destroyed by Harry. And I've got a second one here," Regulus told him. "Lupin, how is your occlumency?"

"Good enough," the man replied.

"Good. I’m going to lift the enchantments and let you examine it with the help of Severus."

"I'm ready whenever you are, Snape."

Severus moved his chair near Lupin, and Regulus took the locket out of its box before putting it on the table.

"Is this...?"

"Slytherin's locket, or so we believe," he answered his friend. Severus nodded again, deep in thought, before beginning his inspection.

Half an hour later, both men were exhausted and the Horcrux was safely back in its box, under heavy wards. Sirius summoned a bottle of firewhiskey and poured each man a glass. They all accepted it and drank it. Surprisingly, it was Lupon who broke the silence.

"And you say you think there might me more?" he asked, looking at Regulus. "At least, we'll know what to look for."

"I might be wrong, but Lucius and Bella were both given an honorific task by the Dark Lord. She couldn't stop bragging about it, saying she would make sure it was safe from thieves."

"Yes," Severus added, "I remember that part quite clearly."

"So, what do you think we should do?" Sirius asked. "We think there is another one, but we can't really be sure we are right. Moreover, we have no idea what it could be, or where to find it. We were fortunate to find the first two, but I don't think we can count on luck for the third one..."

"Let's focus on destroying the one we already have," Severus decided. "Then, we can take care of a potential third one. In the meantime, there's also the problem with Potter and his friends. Those idiots have an unhealthy tendency to find themselves in the worst situations. And there's also the issue of the Prophecy."

"The prophecy?" Regulus asked, "the one about the Potters?"

"Actually," Severus said, "it targeted both the Potters _and_ the Longbottoms. The prophecy was not speaking about one boy, it was the Dark Lord who chose him."

"Really? I didn't know that," Sirius said. "Dumbledore only told Lily and James that their son was in danger. They didn't even know the content of the prophecy, and never understood why Voldemort wanted to kill Harry."

"He feared for his life. The prophecy indicated that someone with the power to vanquish him would be born soon. He decided to take care of the boy while he was still an infant. But by going after him, it seems that he did the contrary of what he intended and the prophecy was set into motions."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"I know only part of it, Dumbledore didn't want me to know everything, but it begins like this: _'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... '_ that night, when he went after Potter, he sealed his own fate."

"So, if he had done nothing at all, he would still be in power and Lily and James would be alive?" Lupin inquired.

"Probably, yes."

"Merlin, such a waste..." Sirius breathed. "But wait, does that mean that they have to try to kill each other?"

"You can take Potter to the Minister and ask for the Prophecy. Because it refers to him, he will be able to take it from the Department of Mysteries."

"Good. We need to hear it, and to take it before Voldemort remembers it."

"Black," Severus said slowly, "you do understand that, it the Prophecy states that Harry is the one with 'the power to vanquish the Dark Lord', it means that he will have to kill him?"

"What?" Sirius said, looking horrified.

"We can't be sure, of course, but there's a high possibility the rest of the Prophecy says one of them has to kill the other."

"Fuck," Sirius said, banging his fist on the table so hard he spilled his drink. "Fuck. FUCK. Fucking prophecy. Fucking Voldemort. Fucking Horcruxes."

"Sirius..." Regulus said, trying to get to his brother.

"No. We've only been reunited for a month. I don't even want to think about it, not so soon. And Voldemort isn't back. He doesn't have to know yet. We're not even sure this is what's supposed to happen."

"But we'll have to find out and to tell the boy when He comes back, Black," Severus told him. "And we might have to train him, as well. One cannot face the Dark Lord without being a good fighter."

The room was silent for a moment, and Regulus shifted uncomfortably.

"I think I need some time alone," Sirius finally said, and he left the kitchen with the bottle of Firewhiskey.

* * *

_Dear Hermione,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, but the last few days have been totally overwhelming. Getting to know my_ _Godfather, hearing about my parents, arranging my new bedroom (we went to the Dursley's to get my things, I'll tell you more about that later, but I don't think you will approve what happened there...) I think that even receiving my Hogwarts letter hasn’t made me feel so happy._

_Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the Black family, is a strange house, gloomy and filled with dark things. It has been inhabited for almost ten years, and Sirius says that it will take a while before it is completely habitable again. But don't worry, the kitchen and some bedrooms have already been cleaned, and I've been able to choose the one I liked the most. Since my arrival, I've helped Sirius clean the place as much as I could (did you know that using magic in a magical house could not be detected?) and you would be surprised by the number of spiders we've found in the dining room, and by their size! Ron would have left promptly, I think._

_I've been here for four days now, but I haven't been able to see every room. Mainly, because some of them are too dangerous to visit and have to be locked until they are cleaned, but also because the building is huge. I thought the Burrow was amazing, but you should see this place! I'm sure you would love all the historical artefacts that have been accumulated by Sirius' family (provided that they are not corrupted by some weird curses, of course)._

_Oh and, have I mentioned the_ library _? It's not as huge as Hogwarts', but I'm pretty sure you will love it. Sirius and professor Lupin (who asked me to call him "Remus" in private) have begun sorting the books this morning, as the Blacks were a "Dark" family they have many works on the matter. Sirius wants to get rid of everything in the house except the walls, but it seems that he can't. I've tried to understand why, but he won't tell me yet._

 _There are a lot of things he seems to keep for himself, but he told me we would have a discussion together before the start of the new term. I hope he will be less evasive than Dumbledore was last year about the Diary. I'm pretty sure there was something_ wrong _about that object, more than just the fact that a memory of Voldemort was able to possess Ginny. I mean, I killed it, I think. But again, maybe I'm just becoming paranoid. Hopefully, the end of this year will be better than the previous._

_And finally: Sirius wants to meet you and Ron, properly this time. He told me to ask your parents if they would agree to bring you next Friday. We would go to King's Cross together, it's not far from the house. What do you think? There's a room next to the library, I'll add a small sign with your name on the door just in case._

_Until then, have a nice holiday!_

_Your friend,_

_Harry_

_Dear Harry,_

_I'd_ LOVE _to come and visit. Please, thank Sirius for his kind invitation and tell him I look forward meeting him again. Just don't mention I'm only coming for the library (how big is it, compared to Hogwarts'?), he'd be disappointed. I didn't know about that fact; it sounds like the law was written by a Pure-Blood who wanted to disadvantage Muggle-borns._

_My parents accepted as soon as I told them about the invitation and asked when they should bring me. Mum wants to take me do some shopping before, but was wondering what to do with Croockshanks. Would Sirius mind if we come early and let him with you for a few hours? I'm sure he would love to wander around the house, especially if there are some spiders or rats to take care of._

_I'm a bit worried about him, to be honest. Since we've arrived, he's been distancing himself from me and spends more and more time alone. He had not issue settling in the Tower, so I don't understand what's wrong with him. I hope he will get better when we get back to Hogwarts._

_I am, as always, busy with my homeworks. I've tried to spend some time with my parents but it's difficult because I've been working on the Buckbeak case as well. The Committee will study the case at the end of the month, and I'm not sure Hagrid will have enough arguments by then. He has lost hope, I think, but I refuse to give up. Do you know if Sirius might have any influence on the members of the Committee?_

_See you soon, then!_

_Love,_

_Hermione_

* * *

_Dear Ron,_

_The first days at Grimmauld Place have been amazing! I have chosen my room, and Sirius told me I could put whatever I wanted on the walls. Where did you get your Quidditch posters? I need some of those, I think._

_Of course, there is a lot to do around the house, since it has not been inhabited for years, but we've already cleaned two more bedrooms since I arrived, as well as the dining room. I think you will thank me for that, I've never seen such huge spiders in my life (I'm, of course, not including the ones we met last year)._

_Sirius has a lot of stuff in his room, including a Nimbus from the first series! He says it's still working and has told me I could invite you to try it. Would your parents agree to escort you in front of the house next Friday and let you stay for the weekend? By the way, say hi to them, and thank your mother for the delicious muffins she sent us. Sirius wanted to ask for more, but I told him it would be very impolite._

_Anyway, send your reply with Hedwig, she's been really happy to help Sirius with the letters and she is asking for more every time she comes back._

_Harry_

_Dear Harry,_

_Dad told me he could take me with him before going to work, would that be okay for you if I arrive around 8? You'll need to send me the exact address. Mum says she's happy Sirius liked the muffins and will cook us something for the dessert. Will Hermione be there, too? Mum needs to know before she bakes the cake._

_I hope I won't have to help with the cleaning, I'm still having nightmares about Aragog... But I trust you if you say that the bedrooms are clean. I'll bring you some posters, I have extras from the other teams. I'm confused, which one are supporting, again? Ginny says it's not Puddlemere United but that's about it._

_I've heard about those brooms; dad says it was a revolution when they were released on the market. I can't wait to test it, thanks! Do you have a garden behind the house?_

_See you next Friday,_

_Ron_

* * *

Regulus was pacing in the dining room nervously, waiting for everyone to get back home. Hermione had brought him a few hours ago and had left with her mother to do some shopping. Sirius, Harry and Ron had left for the garden, having decided to try out the various brooms they had found in the house so far. All of them had been told by Sirius that an important discussion would take place after dinner, and Regulus was now counting the minutes before its beginning.

Tonight, was the night he revealed his identity to the trio, and he was terribly scared. He remembered Ron's reaction when he had learned that his pet rat was in reality a middle-aged man that had been living with him for years (not that he could blame him, of course, the man _was_ creepy), and Lupin's reaction when he had learned that he was Hermione's cat. Since that conversation, Regulus had tried to create some distance between them, but lamentably failed. He had known from the beginning being adopted by a girl was a bad idea, but his initial plan had been to stay with her for a couple of weeks at most. The difficulties he had had going into the library at night, and Sirius' escape, had changed everything, and it had been more and more difficult to remember that maybe, he would have to leave his little friend.

Too many thoughts were crossing his mind, each worse than the previous one. Would he be able to look at her in the eyes, after telling her the truth? Would she accept his apologies, and understand his actions? Would she forgive him for betraying the bond she thought she had formed with him when he had been the cat? Would she judge him as Lupin had, and think he had only had bad intentions when he had been adopted by her?

He heard someone slam the door, and recognized Harry's voice. The boys were here, and Hermione would be arriving soon. Well. No more time to think, it seemed.

* * *

"Alright," Sirius said, clearing his throat loudly. "I've been dreading this conversation but I don't think I can postpone it now that you are all here so, let's begin, shall we? First of all, I'd like to thank you both, Ron and Hermione, for being Harry's friends of course, but also because for being here when he needed you the most. And by that, I mean that you decided to stick with him when no one else believed him, or when he was in danger, and I'm very grateful you decided he was worth being your friend."

Both Ronald and Hermione blushed under the praise, and Harry allowed himself a small smile in their direction.

"Because of that, I think you have a right to know everything I'm about to tell Harry, and ask me some questions as well. I won't tell you everything, not now at least, but I'll do my best under the circumstances. You're young, too young in my opinion, but you've also been in situations most adults haven't had to live and I think you have a right to understand what's happening, and what could happen in a very near future. I won't lie to you: you might have suspected it but I can guarantee you that there will be another war, and I fear it will happen sooner that we wished. If you've read about the First War, you know it won't be pretty. You'll both be in danger; you Hermione, because of your origins; and you, Ron, because of your family's allegiance. But most likely, you and your families may also be targeted because of your friendship with Harry. We have no means to be sure of what I'm telling you, but we should be prepared for the worst scenario. Do you understand that?" Both of them nodded. "And, knowing that, are you willing to stay at Harry's side?" Both of them looked utterly outraged by his question.

"I see," he simply said, before continuing his speech. "What I am going to tell you is, obviously, something you can't repeat to anyone, including your own families. Some things are known, or suspected by some wizards and witches already, but most of them prefer not to ponder too much on those questions. I won't tell you how or why Voldemort came into power, because you already know most of that. But I will tell you _what_ hastened precipitated his downfall, and I think it will help you understand some events better. Harry," he said, turning to face his Godson. "Has anyone ever told you why Voldemort decided that your parents had to die?"

Harry looked at him, thinking, before answering.

"To be honest, I don't think it's them, he wanted, I think it was me. When the dementors came, I had those... those memories that came back to me, where my mother was begging _Him_ to let me live. He only killed her because she was on his way, not because he wanted her dead in the first place. Am I right?"

"Yes, you are, pup. Yes, you are," Sirius said, and he realized his voice was crackling. "And you need to know why." It was the moment he had been dreading for weeks, but he had to do it. Harry gave one quick, sharp nod of acknowledgement, and that was the only thing Sirius needed to continue his story. "Fourteen years ago, Voldemort heard of a prophecy, a prophecy that predicted that someone able to defeat him would be born soon. As you can imagine he felt threatened, and decided to kill the infant as soon as he knew who he or she was. Dumbledore was there when the prophecy was made, and immediately told your parents about it. You know the rest of the story. They went into hiding, Peter betrayed their trust, Voldemort murdered them but failed to kill you."

"But he did not die, did he?"

"You're right, alas... And we had the proof two years ago."

"Quirrell," Ron said quietly.

"Yes," Sirius acknowledged. "I think Dumbledore suspected it but had no proof until then. And that is a problem, because that means only one thing: he found a way to become immortal."

"You can't mean that," Hermione said, shivering. "Even the Philosopher stone could only postpone the death of its owner. No one can cheat Death forever."

Sirius smiled, unable to contain a grin.

"You're right, of course. What I meant by immortal, was that if he comes back, and someone tries to kill him, he won't die."

"But... _how_?"

"I can't tell you exactly how, at least not before I think that the time is right. The only thing you need to know for now is that, before we try to get rid of him forever, we need to destroy the... protection he created to ensure his safety."

"You're saying 'we'," Harry interrupted him. "I suppose you are not talking about us. Is that Remus? Dumbledore?"

"I don't trust Dumbledore," Sirius said quickly, "and I believe that you've also begun to change your mind about him. But yes, I'm talking about Remus, but not only him." He saw his brother shift uncomfortably on the chair where he was sitting, his tail moving rapidly at his side. "Before I say anything else, I want you to understand that the name of the two men helping me might be a shock to you, as well as their past. But you have to trust me when I say they are on our side, because their actions might not always reflect the reality of the situation. Are we clear?" The trio exchanged a quizzical look but all of them nodded. "The first man I'm talking about is another of your teacher, professor Snape." He ignored the evident shock on Harry's face and continued. "I'm well aware he is a horrible teacher and a worst human-being, and I think I hate him at least as much as you do, but I've had sufficient proof that he is on our side, and willing to help getting rid of Voldemort."

"Wait a minute," Ron interrupted, "wasn't he a Death Eater?"

"He was, yes, but he changed sides and became a spy for the Order – Dumbledore's secret society – to oppose Voldemort during the last War. Your parents were members, Harry, and I as well. Anyway. Some recent events made me realize that everything was not only dark or white, and that one should not always judge people by the choices they may have been forced to make. And when I say that, I'm not only talking about Snape, but also about my own brother."

"Regulus?" Harry asked quietly. "He died in 1979, right? I saw it on the tapestry"

"He did, yes, but... not really. Allow me to explain," he said, when he saw the confused looks on their faces. "My brother had been marked for almost two years when he suddenly disappeared. The last person to see him alive was apparently my mother, and he had only told her he was going at a friend's. However, he never came back, and the day after that my father was alerted by the family magic that our tapestry had been altered and saw that Regulus death date had been added. My mother refused to believe it, of course, but had no choice in the end. The tried to understand what had happened, but no one knew where he had gone, and his former friends hadn't heard of a secret mission. When I learned the news, I supposed he had just panicked when he had discovered what really happened during the raids, and had been killed because of this."

"But you seemed to be saying that he was still alive," Hermione said, interested. "So, what happened, really?"

"What happened," Sirius replied, "is that Regulus _temporarily_ stopped being alive, and when I say 'temporarily', I mean he totally ceased to exist for almost fourteen years."

"That's almost as crazy as Voldemort being immortal," Ron blurted out. "I mean, how can you be temporarily dead?"

"The answer is really easy, and at the same time very unusual. He made a jump through time."

"But... but Sirius," Hermione begun slowly, "there is no such thing as forward time-travel. I've done a lot of research on the subject, and I'm confident it's not possible."

Sirius smiled indulgently.

"There are still a lot of things that we don't know, Hermione. But I admit that even the theory says it's impossible, because we can't know the future precisely enough to travel there. However, since we have no better explanation, we have to believe that it is what happened." She nodded skeptically, and he continued. "I came across him totally by chance. He had heard about my escape from Azkaban and had decided to go look for me when he learned that I had been seen in Hogwarts. You see, he was there too, and had been for a while because he was trying to get some sensitive information in the library."

"Mr. Black, sorry, Sirius," Ron stopped him, "you said that your brother had been _in_ Hogwarts for a while. What do you mean by that? How was he able to enter inside of the castle if he was a known Death-Eater and looking younger that he was supposed to be? Had he some sort of... disguise?" he finished, looking uneasy.

Sirius knew he was thinking of his rat, and he glanced awkwardly in Regulus' direction, trying to see if he would ask him what he should do. However, he wasn't as discreet as he thought he was.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?" the red-headed suddenly shouted, looking angrily at Sirius.

"RONALD!" Hermione screamed, outraged. "Don't speak to him like that!"

"Don't you get it?" he asked her sharply, before turning to Harry. "Neither of you? His brother is a fucking _ANIMAGUS_!" he shouted, pointing at the cat in front of him.

* * *

Hermione did not dare move and starred at her cat, thinking rapidly, and trying to connect the dots. God, Ron was right. Now that she was considering everything on a new angle, it was pretty clear.

She had thought that her cat was highly intuitive, always knowing when she needed him to be here, and always looking like he was listening intently to whatever she had been rambling about, like he was _understanding_ her. But it had been real, hadn't it? And her books about time-travel. He had been reading them, that was why she sometimes wondered if they had not been moved by someone. And the dry food that had only begun to disappear when she had wondered aloud why he was not eating. And the shower that seemed to have been used recently, when no one had had a free period. And the fact that he _always_ left when her roommates came back to the dormitory, just before they were about to change, as if he wanted to give them some privacy.

Had she been that tired, to miss what had been right under her nose?

"Is that true?" she heard Harry ask Sirius, and she focused on the discussion. Her friend looked utterly betrayed, and Sirius seemed to be panicking. "After what happened, you let him stay with us? That's... that's sick, Sirius, that's totally sick!"

"Harry, look, you have to understand why we did that," Sirius said, trying to stop him from leaving the room. "Peter was here, and after that, we thought that it might be a good idea to..."

But, before he could finish his sentence, Crookshank had swiftly jumped from his chair and landed in front of Harry, and Hermione looked, amazed, at the young man who was now standing exactly where her cat had been only a few seconds ago.

He looked like he was only a few years older than them, and she knew instantly that he was Sirius' brother. It was not only the fact that they shared the same physical features – black hairs, pale skin, silvery eyes – they also moved the same way, stood the same way, and even had the same haughty look. But they also had some dissimilarities. Sirius was taller than his brother, with broad shoulders and a face so beautiful it might have been chiseled by Apollo himself. The other man – no, Crookshanks, no, _Regulus_ – was smaller and slighter, but he seemed stronger than his brother and his face had a princely look, and for a moment she remembered the Lord of the Rings, and she wondered if it was how Boromir and Faramir would have look in real life.

He was standing in front of the door, blocking the passage to Harry, his wand pointed in front of him and daring him to make another move. Harry seemed furious but backed down slowly, his eyes glancing between the man's face and his wand. Regulus looked at his brother who nodded and his posture relaxed a bit, but not before he had sent a hex in their direction, and Hermione felt her tong stick to the roof of her mouth. He then looked at each of them, his eyes stopping on her longer and looking at her intently, before finally speaking.

"Merlin, this is even worse than what I imagined," he said, looking exasperated. "But I have to admit, Ronald, you are definitely smarter than you look." Ron glared at him but said nothing. Not that he could, anyway. "Now, if you don't mind, I think it's time to make things clear, once and for all. Yes, I am an animagi, yes, I purposely became one to get into the castle and yes, maybe you should have been told sooner but that's not how it happened and you're going to have to accept that. To be honest with you, I had no intention to tell you the truth before Sirius reappeared in my life. I just needed a few weeks in the castle to find the information I wanted and then, I would have left the country. But Sirius thought it was a good idea to try to break into the Tower to get to the rat, and I decided to help him when I learned the truth. I was supposed to come and stay with him after he had left St Mungo – yes, that's why I disappeared for three days – " he said in her direction, "but ultimately, he agreed with me that it was a good idea if I stayed with you, and especially with Harry, because if there's anything the last two years told us, it's that you always find yourselves in dangerous situation, whatever the reasons are. We knew you wouldn't like the truth, but we decided that it was worth the risk. Knowing that I'm here, with you, means that you'll be able to go to me if you can't reach Sirius. What we don't want is you finding yourself in yet another of you life-threatening adventures. Now," he said, lifting the charm that prevented them to speak. "Any questions?"

It was Ron who spoke first, lifting his fist angrily in Regulus' direction.

"I don't care what your brother says, and I don't believe the fact that Snape, or you, decided you wanted to help fighting against You-Know-Who. You're nothing but fucking Death Eaters, and _you_ , are also a _pervert_. We don't need anyone to baby-sit us, especially not someone like you!"

"Ron!" Hermione cried, horrified by his accusations. Harry seemed totally lost, his eyes going between Ron and Regulus, but both brothers were now looking at her friend angrily.

"You think I liked it, having to make sure that someone like _you_ stayed alive?" Regulus said sharply. "A rude child, unable to control his own emotions, with manners worse than a Hungarian Horntail, always hurting the people he says are his friends and suddenly asking for their forgiveness when he realizes that he needs help for his fucking _homework_? You really think I liked staying in your dormitory every night without sleeping, just to make sure that one of you wasn't killed in his sleep? I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE THERE. I SHOULD BE DEAD AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT FUCKING LAKE AND FINALLY RESTING, BUT NO, A FUCKING IDIOT APPARENTLY DECIDED THAT I SHOULD WAKE UP FOURTEEN YEARS IN THE FUTURE, WITH THAT FUCKING THING IN MY HAND, AND HELP DESTROY THE DARK LORD. DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME WHEN HE COMES BACK AND DISCOVERS THAT I BETRAYED HIM? DO YOU? I'M GOING TO BE TORTURED UNTIL I BEG FOR DEATH, BUT HE WON'T EVEN GRANT ME THAT AND..."

He suddenly paused, looking surprised, and Hermione realized that she had stood up and put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him. Ron and Harry looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but Sirius only grinned and winked in his brother's direction, and Hermione suddenly felt like a fool, realizing what it must look like from the outside.

"Look, everyone," she said, removing her hand quickly and trying not to look embarrassed by her action. "I think we've learned a lot in a short amount of time, and maybe we should take the night to think about it. Why don't we all go to bed and continue this conversation tomorrow, when we're feeling better?

"Thank you, Hermione, that's a good idea," Sirius finally said. "I hoped learning everything at once would be better than giving you the impression that we have left you in the dark but maybe it wasn't such a good idea. Harry, I promised you could ask me some questions, but I think it can wait tomorrow, when you have had enough time to digest everything. Ron, I understand that you're upset, but please do not judge us too quickly. As adults, we decided to do what we thought was right. Maybe we were wrong, but I think you should try to understand we did that for your own good. And, because I know you are concerned about that; I can promise you that Regulus _does_ have some principles concerning privacy. Now, let's get to bed. We'll resume tomorrow after breakfast."

Both boys nodded sharply and stormed out of the room, neither of them looking at the two brothers. Sirius let out a shaky sight, looking sad.

"Don't worry," Hermione told him. "Harry might be upset for now, but he'll forgive you when he understands why you did that. I might be more difficult with Ron, however."

"Yes," Regulus said sharply. "The boy inherited the infamous Prewett's temper, I do pity whoever ends up with him."

Hermione tried not to wince when she heard him, but had to recognize that he might be right. Ron did have a bad temper, and even as a friend, it was sometimes difficult to deal with.

"Alright, I'm going to bed too," Sirius announced to them. "Reg, your room has been cleaned. Are you coming?"

"Actually," he said, clearing his throat and looking in her direction, "I wanted to talk to you, if you don't mind of course," he quickly added.

"I... yes, of course," she heard herself answer.

Sirius nodded and, after bidding them goodnight, left them alone. Regulus and Hermione stared at each other for a few minutes, neither of them knowing what to say.

"So," Regulus begun, finally breaking the silence. "This is awkward." He was avoiding her gaze, now, and looking at the floor, his face partially hidden by his long hairs.

"Yeah," Hermione admitted.

"Look," he said after another uncomfortable minutes, "I'm really sorry I did this to you. I swear I had no intention to hurt you or to be disrespectful, and now I realize how stupid this whole animagi idea was. I thought I would only stay a few weeks and then leave, but then Sirius happened and..."

"You don't have to be sorry. I mean," she said quickly, "I won't say that I feel comfortable now that I know the truth, especially after realizing that you saw me crying too many times for my liking and slept on my bed. However, I know that Sirius is not lying when he says you have principles, and I only have myself to blame when it comes to the last few months, because now I understand you why you trying to avoid me, and clearly, I only made things worse by forcing you to stay at my side. Anyway. That might sound completely foolish but I trust Sirius, and I trust you. I don't know why you decided to come here on the first place but I understand why you stayed. To be honest, had I been in your situation, I think I might have done something similar if I knew I could help Harry. What I'm trying to tell you," she said finally, "is that I think your idea is good and that you should stay with us."

He seemed surprised by her declaration, but quickly pulled himself together.

"Really?"

"Yes. You and Sirius are right. There is always something happening with Harry, and we've all been in a mortal danger at least once. And I believe Sirius when he says it will get worse. To be honest, having you with us will make me feel better. We will have to discuss how we proceed, of course, because I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to stay permanently as a cat, and I would feel better if we could think of another sleeping arrangement," she was relieved to see that he was blushing too, "and I'm not sure what's going to happen during the summer, but we can talk about the details tomorrow with the rest of the boys." 

"... Alright, then. We'll discuss this after breakfast."

She nodded, and waited for him to say something else. They might have agreed on some things, but the situation was still confusing.

"Shall we..." he asked, glancing at the door.

"Yes," she answered, moving towards him. "I'm dead tired with everything going on." And it was true. She hadn't slept more than four hours a night because of Buckbeak.

"Hermione," Regulus called her when she was about to leave the room. "One last thing. I admire your love for knowledge, but I think your ruining your health and your potential by taking so many classes. Even with the help if your time-turner, you don't have enough time to sleep and make your homework. Your friends are worried about you – yes, even Ronald – so please, I'd like you to consider dropping one of your classes, even two," he said, before crossing the room and opening the door for her.

"I... Thank you for your concern," she said. "I promise I'll think about it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So well, I've done it. Talked about Regulus staying in Hermione's chamber (and being her familiar). That's something I wanted to mention, because in reality of course I wouldn't let that happen, but it's a fic so you know, but still, I wanted to address the subject. I don't want anyone being uncomfortable with that and if you think of a tag or a warning I should add, please tell me! 
> 
> I liked talking about it, because poor Regulus hadn't reaaally thought of the implications, and I wanted to add some funny moments (hi Remus!) in my fic. I hope you won't find it tasteless ^^'
> 
> Tell me what you think of everyone's reaction, especially Hermione's! I hope you will like her decision (it took some time, but I decided that she would be more on the rational side).
> 
> Until next week :)  
> Krummbein


	8. The Lost Prophecy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hello again!
> 
> I finally realized it was summer (because the sun is back) and am dreaming of holidays with my family. Saddly, it's not possible for the moment. I hope you are able to see your loved ones and if not, that they are alright :)
> 
> I never have a lot to say at the beginning of a chapter, so I'll let you enjoy it :)
> 
> Ps: I'm aware that I'm still making a lot of mistakes, if you want to help me with the correction, please send an e-mail at krummbeinmaghermine@gmail.com!

Regulus had awoken later than he wanted and, when he arrived in the kitchen, the discussion had already begun. Sirius, as the official Lord of the house, sat at the end of the table with Harry, his ward, to his left. Regulus, in his quality of Heir, took his place to his right next to Hermione, who had apparently been considered his guest. Ronald, being Harry's best friend, was sitting in front of her.

"You can't be serious," he heard the boy say, his voice clearly horrified. "Both of you think it's a good idea to have him stay with us?

"Well... yes," Harry replied cautiously. "I think their arguments are good, and having... Regulus with us could be advantageous if – sorry, knowing my luck I think I should say when – something happens. And really, I'd rather ask for his help than go to Snape."

" _Professor_ Snape," Regulus heard Hermione muttered, annoyed. He flashed a smile in her direction and she grinned back to him. 

"Are you telling me you approve the part where he sleeps in the girls' dormitory?"

"It doesn't have to be like this anymore," Hermione told him. "We agreed last night that we would find a solution, didn't we?" she asked, looking at him for support, and he nodded.

"Yes. I could sleep in your dormitory, or in the Common Room if you prefer, I don't really mind."

"I don't want you in our dormitory," Ronald begun, but Harry interrupted him.

"I don't mind you sleeping on my bed if you want," he said. "Maybe not every night, but you could."

"Thanks," he said.

"Ron, would that arrangement be alright for you?" Sirius asked diplomatically.

"I don't really have a choice, do I? As long as he stays far enough from me, I suppose I don't have anything to complain about," he answered dryly.

"Very good," his brother said, clasping his hands. "We still have a full day in front of us, and a lot of planning to make for the next holidays, but let's talk about that later and eat first."

* * *

"Black, could you stop staring at me like that? It's creepy."

They had arrived back in the castle a few hours earlier, and Regulus was on Harry's bed, watching curiously Ron's Quidditch magazine. He hadn't really taken the time to inquire about the changes in the last few years and was trying to read the cover.

"Ron," Harry hissed, "don't call him that."

"Fine, _Crookshanks_. Could you _please_ stop staring?"

Regulus glared at him for good measure and turned his head away from the boy, trying to find something else to do. He had already read every book that Harry had on his bed and wondered if he could ask him to borrow some for him. Or maybe he could go see Severus and ask if he could browse his library.

"The other boys won't be there before long," he heard Harry tell him, "but I'm tired and I think I'm going sleep now. So uh, good night I suppose," he said, before removing his glasses and putting them on his night table.

"Creepy," he heard Ronald mutter again.

Regulus waited for Harry to stop moving before trying to find a comfortable place to curl up. He closed his eyes and soon, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Something was wrong when she entered in the Great Hall on Saturday morning, and she immediately feared the worse. McGonagall and Dumbledore were sharing a copy of the Prophet and talking rapidly together, and even professor Snape seemed preoccupied. Lupin caught her gaze, and he discreetly showed her the front page of his own copy. She instantly understood what must have happen. She was too far away to read the head title, but she easily recognized the man on the picture. Heart slamming in her chest, she took the nearest abandoned copy she saw and raced back to the Tower while reading the short paragraph under the picture.

By the time she had reached the Tower she was breathless, and she needed almost an entire minute to be able to pronounce the password. The portrait opened immediately and she almost ran into Neville, Seamus and Dean who were about to leave for breakfast.

"Hermione, are you alright?" the latter begun, but she ran past him and climbed the steps rapidly until she reached the boy's dormitory. She opened the door and went in, ignoring Ron's screams of protest.

"Hermione, I'm not fully clothed!" he said, hiding behind his robes.

Ignoring him, she closed the door and went to the huge orange ball she could see on Harry's bed.

"Regulus, transform back and ward the door, we've got a problem. Harry," she said to her friend who had apparently been about to take her shower and had appeared from the bathroom, "take the mirror Sirius gave you and call him. I think he'll want to talk to you as soon as he sees the title of the Prophet."

"What happened?" Regulus asked when he had shifted, trying to read the newspaper over her shoulder. "Fuck!" he said when he saw the title. "Do you think he will try to come back for Harry?" he asked, looking at her worriedly.

"I think so," she answered anxiously.

"Would someone tell us what happened?" Ron asked, exasperated, and Harry nodded.

"Pettigrew escaped," Regulus said, and she watched Harry's face fall in horror.

"Harry, are you there, pup?" the worried voice of Sirius asked from the mirror.

"Yes, we just learned the news", he said, and all of them came near his bed to better see Sirius.

"Good, I almost went to Dumbledore's office when I read the title this morning. Reg, I assume you know what to do?"

"Of course," he replied. "Harry can't stay alone. He'll always have to be with Ronald, Hermione or myself, even if he needs to go to the bathroom between classes. I'll stay here during the nights and I'll ward his bed before we go to sleep."

"Good. I'll let Remus and Snape know, they too will keep an eye on you. Oh and, do you have the map with you?" Sirius asked. "I want you to check it from time to time, especially in the evenings. I don't think he will be stupid enough to try something during the day, but one never knows."

"Alright, I'll do as you say," Harry answered confidently, but it sounded forced and Hermione knew he was wondering what on Earth was going to happen to him now. She felt Regulus's gaze on her and tried to smile but failed miserably. The only thing they could do was waiting.

* * *

"What on Earth is Ron doing?" Hermione asked, irritated. It had been three weeks since the escape of Pettigrew, but the man had not been seen in the meantime and everyone was tensed, particularly Hermione who was even more edgy because of the end of the term and the exams that arrived with it. It was Friday, and the trio had agreed to go study in the library for their last exam. Ron had forgotten his book in his dormitory before breakfast and they had come back to the Tower so that he could fetch it, but he had left ten minutes earlier and Regulus had a bad feeling. They had consulted the map before he had entered the Tower, and it had been deserted, but now he was beginning to worry. What could keep him up? He meowed in direction of the portrait and Hermione said the password, and he swiftly followed her and Harry in the common room.

Regulus transformed back and took the map from Harry's pocket, looking for the boy. He glanced at the Tower's plan, swearing loudly when he saw no one but them. They ran up to the stairs and entered the room, and he heard Hermione gasp behind him. Ronald's bag was scattered on the floor, and there was a stain of blood on one of the bed's pillar. Regulus swore again when he walked on Ronald's wand. There was a small parchment on the Harry's bed, and he took it, his breathing increasing progressively as he read it.

"Harry," he said sharply, putting the other wand in his second pocket. "Pettigrew got Ronald and wants you to come alone to the shrieking shack before nine this morning, or else he says he will kill him. We won't let that happen, of course," he said when he heard both his and Hermione scream, "but we don't have a lot of time, and we have to move quickly. I want you both to contact Sirius through the mirror and to go either to Severus or Lupin's room to tell them what's happening, with the cloak. Then, go directly to Dumbledore's office where Sirius will arrive and _do not move_. I'll go to the Shack and see if I can do something to avoid a massacre."

"Regulus," Hermione said worriedly, "don't you think you should wait for Sirius and the other before going there alone?"

"No. I think he's hoping for Sirius to show, and not alone. He'll go for a bloodbath, just like he did before. If I go alone, he'll only see a cat and won't understand what's happening when I transform," Regulus answered, before taking Harry's Firebolt and going to the window. "I'm going to borrow that if you don't mind, I'll hide it from the Willow, don't worry. Now go, and do as I told you," he said harshly, before disillusioning himself and jumping from the Tower on the broom.

The wind was howling loudly in his ears but he did not pay attention to it, focusing on the Whomping Willow he could already see from the sky. It took him only a few minutes to arrive, and he landed near the tree. He hid the broom as fast as he could before transforming into his cat form and going into the tunnel. As he arrived near the trapdoor he slowed down, trying to listen to any sound that might give away Pettigrew or his victim. He slowly climbed the stairs, trying to be as silent as possible. Pettigrew could not detect his presence, as he was not human, but he might not be willing to check the identity of a potential intruder. Suddenly, he heard his voice and stopped, listening.

"Just shut up already, Weasley, or I swear I'll kill you before they come."

"I'm in _pain_ ," the boy shouted, "the least you could do would be to tend to the cut. It's deep, and I'm bleeding all over the floor."

"You did that to yourself," Pettigrew said dismissively, "now shut up. Black should arrive soon."

It only took half a second for Regulus to decide that now was the only chance he had to surprise the man and he meowed loudly before entering the room. Surprised, Pettigrew turned around and pointed his wand on him.

"Wonderful, it's only that blasted cat. Of course, it would be able to go to the Shack, that beast has a way to know everything. Well I suppose it's a good thing it's here, it will help me practice a bit."

He moved his wand quickly in the air, sending a nonverbal spell in his direction, but Regulus had known it would happen and jumped on the other side before he had even finished the movement. The curse landed on the door and it exploded, sending pieces of wood everywhere in the room. Regulus had had enough time to transform and quickly summoned a shield to protect himself. He heard Pettigrew swear when he saw that he had missed his target, but quickly regained his senses when he realized that another man had appeared in the room. However, he halted the second his eyes landed on his face and let out a yelp of terror when he recognized him.

"Black!" he shrieked, sending another hex in his direction.

"Pettigrew," Regulus said casually, blocking it.

The man was still in shock but seemed to have understood that the situation was not at his advantage at all and moved his wand again, this time with a coldness that frightened Regulus. He knew what was coming, Pettigrew had labelled him as an enemy and would not want to lose his time with him. Acting instinctively, he aimed at his enemy and said the first curse that crossed his mind, his heart stopping when he heard Pettigrew shout.

"AVADA KEDA..."

"REPULSO!" he screamed quickly, hoping it would be enough to stop the man from finishing his sentence.

* * *

Severus had been leaving for the Dungeons when he had heard it, a succession of hurried footsteps and short-breath voices. He had stopped, looked around, and heard the relieved voices of Potter and Granger.

"He's here! Professor," Potter's voice had said next to him, "Ron's been kidnapped by Pettigrew, and Regulus left for the Shack before we could do anything. He told us to get you or professor Lupin and to go to Dumbledore's office where Sirius is arriving."

He repressed a roll of his eyes when he heard the part about Regulus and briefly wondered why he had not been sent to Gryffindor when he had been sorted. This was exactly the kind of attitude he should not have as a Slytherin. At least this time, the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Destroy-His-Life seemed to have let someone else take care of the problem. Maybe he could point that on his annual report? His colleagues always said he was too harsh with the boy. 

"Get this stupid cloak off and follow me, Potter. I bet you don't even know the password to the Headmaster's office."

He took his wand from his pocket and conjured two patronus, one for Lupin and one for McGonagall, before quickening his pace until he reached the staircase leading to the office. Had the situation not be so critical, he would have been extremely satisfied to hear that both teenagers were having a hard time following him. They arrived in front of the Gargoyle less than ten minutes later and it opened before he could say anything to it. Black must have arrived and told Dumbledore they were coming. They entered the room and saw Dumbledore, Black and two Aurors engaged in a lively discussion. Black was the first to stop and Dumbledore greeted them briefly, nodding to the Aurors next to him. Severus recognized the younger one, a cousin of both Black brothers who must have graduated from Auror classes only a few days ago. She was not so discreetly starring at the man, but she quickly averted her gaze and looked at the newcomers.

"Good, you're here Severus. Sirius told me what happened and that I should be expecting Mr. Potter and Miss Granger. I've taken the liberty to inform Mr. Weasley's parents, they should arrive shortly. Ah and, Minerva, Remus, good to see you. I see that Severus did not lose any time."

"Albus," McGonagall greeted hurriedly. "Is that true?"

"I'm afraid it is, Minerva. Had we had enough time, we would of course have listened to Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's tale, but it's 8.43 already and we need to hurry. Now, Miss. Tonks, Kingsley, if you would grab my wrists? I'm going to lift the anti-apparition charm in my office and next to the Shack. Minerva, I trust you can take your colleagues with you? Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, please remain in my office while we are away. The Weasleys will arrive shortly, and I need you to explain what happened and reassure them that we will do anything in our power to bring back their son safely."

Both of them nodded, and Severus caught the hand Minerva was offering him, before disappearing from the office. When he reopened his eyes, he was standing in front of the Whomping Willow, and Dumbledore had already immobilized it. The disillusioned themselves and the Aurors went first, casting numerous charms to see what the situation was. The stopped half-way in the tunnel, and Kingsley's voice was surprisingly calm when he told them that only one person was detected in the Shack.

"Does it mean that..." McGonagall asked, but Dumbledore shook his head before she could say anything else.

"Maybe it only means that Mr. Weasley is alone and that this is a trap, Minerva."

Still, his pace immediately quickened and soon, they were running in the narrow tunnel, the sound of their steps softened by the charms they had applied on their shoes. They quietly climbed to the first corridor, and Severus felt his heart rate speed up when he saw that the door was ajar and that a ginger-headed boy was lying on the bloody floor. Kingsley opened the door completely while Tonks and Lupin covered him. Behind him, Severus could hear the quick breath for Minerva, and he himself dragged in a long breath before following the two Aurors.

"Merlin's beard," he heard Kingsley say, and his eyes followed the man's gaze until they reached what no one had seen at first. Pettigrew's body was lying in front of the fireplace, unmoving, and when the dark-skinned Auror turned it over he wrinkled his nose. Lupin was busy checking Weasley's vital signals.

"Ah, good thing you're here," they heard him say quietly. "I've been hurt and I don't feel very good," he told them, before fainting.

* * *

**Ten minutes earlier**

Pettigrew's eyes got wide when Regulus' curse hurt him on the chest and stopped mid-sentence, his face definitely confused when he was propelled against the decorative fireplace, missing Ronald from only a few inches. There was a sickening crack, and he fell on the floor, motionless. Ronald looked at him before grimacing in Regulus' direction, shock evident on his face.

"Did you hear...?" he asked faintly, shifting his head in the man's direction.

Regulus nodded slowly. The man wasn't moving, but that did not mean anything. Ronald put his hand on Pettigrew's neck before quickly removing it, looking a bit sick.

"Mate..." he said very quietly. "I think you killed him."

_No_.

He ran towards the body, checking for a pulse. There was nothing. He tried to turn the man around, still hoping he could revive him but his hopes were totally destroyed when he discovered that his neck had been broken under the impact, and that his head was now hanging loosely on his side.

"Fuck!" he breathed, his hands trembling when he let the corpse fall back on the floor. He jumped away from it, genuinely horrified. He had taken a man's life. "He's really dead. I've killed him. They're going to arrest me for murder. Fuck. I don't want to go to Azkaban, what should I do?" he asked Ronald, his voice cracking. He was going to be sick. He didn't want to be imprisoned. He didn't want to leave his brother. But the Aurors would arrive any minutes now, and he was going to be caught red-handed. They would know that someone else had been there and look for him if he tried to escape.

"Mate. Mate. REGULUS!"

Ronald's urgent voice brought him back to reality, and he snapped his eyes open.

"Do you think you could summon my wand from here?"

"Your... your wand?"

"Yes, my wand. If you move me from here, I can say I crawled in direction of the door and tried to flee when he was occupied, and had to curse him when he tried to arrest me. Man was too dumb to remember getting my wand and all. Just tell me the curse you used so that I can cast it, if they take my wand, they'll see I'm the one who did it."

"You would do that? For me?" he asked quietly, not fully believing what he was hearing.

"Of course, I would do that, you just saved my life! And yours, too. You heard what he said before you cursed him, right?"

"I still killed him..." Regulus begun, uneasy.

"And he was about to kill you, you just protected yourself. If you were to be judged, they would say it was self-defence. But remember that the man killed a dozen of Muggles and Harry's parents indirectly. You don't have to feel guilty for what happened, because he wouldn't have regretted killing you. Bastard deserved what happened to him," he concluded, harshly.

Regulus wasn't totally convinced by his arguments but nodded in agreement before taking the wand from his pocket.

"Took it from the floor, I thought you might need it. The spell is _repulso_. I'm going to show you the wand movement." It took the boy less than two minutes to master it, and he casted it the corpse's direction. "Good," Regulus said.

"Alright. You should disillusion yourself and leave as Crookshank. They'll be here soon, I wager."

"What about your leg?" Regulus asked worriedly. It was still bleeding, and moving the boy seemed to have worsened things.

"I don't know any spells, do you?" Regulus shook his head. "Don't mind me, they should be here soon."

"Are you sure?" he didn't want to have to death on his conscience.

"I am. I might pass out but I'm positive I won't die; I haven't lost that much blood. Just go, now."

"Alright," he said, and left the Shack.

* * *

She had been banging on the door for almost a minute when professor Snape opened it, looking extremely irritated.

"Good," he snapped, "you're here. Maybe you can convince your little _friend_ to stop acting like a moron," he said, before motioning for her to enter and leading her to his private quarters. "He's been here for hours and I haven't been able to make him leave."

"I thought he was your friend, too," she asked, feeling a bit nervous. Regulus had not been there in the Tower after Ron had been brought safely to the Hospital Wing, and they had to stop looking for him after two hours of researched because it was time for their exam. It was only at the end of the afternoon that Harry had located him on the map, sitting in Snape's quarters. Ron had told them what had happened and she had wanted to be sure he was feeling alright.

"That was before I discovered him passed out on my sofa, with two of my best bottles empty on the floor," Snape answered sharply.

They entered what looked like a small living-room and the sight that greeted her was pitiful. Regulus was spread out on the sofa, a bottle of firewiskhey in the hand, starring at the ceiling and muttering to himself. Several bottles laid on the floor, and she had to avoid them so she could get nearer and kneeled beside him.

"Regulus?" she asked softly, and he turned his head in her direction.

"Hermione," he said in a small voice, "I... I..." he stammered, trying to find his words.

"I know what happened, Regulus, Ron told us when we were alone," she answered, taking his empty hand and squeezing it.

"I didn't want to do it," he muttered, tears gathering in his eyes. "I swear I didn't want to do it, I'm not a murder."

"No one says that, Regulus, it was an accident and we know that. Ron knows that, Harry knows that, your brother knows that, and professor Lupin knows that. No one hates you for what you did."

"But that doesn't change anything," he half-sobbed, "I _killed_ him. I've stained my soul forever. How can I look at myself every morning and not remember what I did?"

"Regulus..." she begun, but professor Snape cut her off, clearly upset.

"For the last time, Regulus, stop the self-pity act. You killed a man, so what? It was self-defence, even the dumbest Auror would agree. You don't have to be so dramatic about it."

"Don't talk to me like that," Regulus replied dryly, finally standing up from the sofa. "What do you know about killing someone? About the guilt you feel from what you've done? Nothing!"

"You think I know nothing, really?" Severus asked, his voice getting louder and louder until he was screaming. "I'VE HAD TO LIVE FOR FOURTEEN YEARS KNOWING THAT I KILLED LILY, YOU REALLY THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT GUILT IS?"

"IT WAS THE DARK LORD WHO KILLED HER, YOU IDIOT, AND YOU KNOW IT!" Regulus yelled back; his fists clenched tightly, and Hermione had to restrain him so that he wouldn't try to jump on Snape. "HE HEARD OF THAT STUPID PROPHECY AND SHE DIED PROTECTING HER SON, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL GUITLY FOR THAT."

"You think so?" Snape asked coolly, his face showing no emotion. "And _who_ do you think delivered the Prophecy, Regulus?"

Hermione heard herself letting out a loud gasp, and Regulus dropped the bottle he had in his hand, looking distraught.

"I'm... I'm sorry Sev'. I never knew."

"Of course not," the Potion Master replied bitterly. "Do you really think this is something I reveal to anyone? Now stop whining and get your drunken ass out of my sofa. And stop looking at me like that, Black, I don't want any of you pity."

Regulus left the room staggering, and Hermione followed him until he had reached the fireplace. He gave a quick nod in her direction and ignored Snape, before taking some powder and leaving for Grimmauld Place. Hermione let out a shaky sigh before glancing at her teacher who hadn't move from his previous spot and was gazing into space, fixing an invisible point with glassy eyes. She was about to leave when he came back to his senses and crossed the room, opening the door in front of her.

"I'm trusting you, Miss Granger, not to tell anyone about what you just heard, especially not Mr. Potter or Mr. Black. Now, _get out of my rooms_ ," he snapped, and Hermione left hurriedly for the Tower

* * *

It was their last day at school and they were in the Great Hall, taking their breakfast, when the letter arrived. Hagrid had left a few days ago with Buckbeak, who had been cleared thanks to Sirius' intervention, and both of them were now visiting the South of France. Hermione had been extremely relieved when she had learned the news, and insisted that her friend took some time for himself now that everything was alright.

_Dear Hermione, Harry, and Ron,_

_We arrived in Marseille yesterday evening. Fang hated the crossing but Beaky loved being able to fly again._

_Hope you're well,_

_Hagrid_

"Oh, I'm so happy for them," she said, wiping her wet face and smiling widely. "I hope they will have a good time there; France is so beautiful!"

"I don't get why he wanted to go on holiday with a Hippogriff. Don't you think it's weird?" Ron asked, before taking a mouthful of sausages. Hermione tried to ignore the view and begun writing an answer.

"That's Hagrid, mate. He's... different."

"Yeah," Ron answered, looking sceptical, "got some unusual acquaintances."

"He's not the only one, Weasley," someone interrupted them, and Hermione immediately recognized the annoying voice of Draco Malfoy. "Seems that your own Godfather likes having _furry friends_ , Potter," he told them in a condescending voice.

"Who the hell are you talking about, Malfoy?" Harry asked before Hermione could stop him.

"That half-breed Lupin, of course. Oh, you didn't know, Potter?" he asked, when he saw Harry's confused face. "Really? Funny, I thought you would have understood since you've spent some time with him. Well, I'll let you read tomorrow's paper, I just hope it won't release the _beast_ in him when he sees the interview my Father gave," he concluded, before trying to leave with his friends.

Before he could take his first step, however, Hermione did something that shocked everyone, including herself. She grabbed Malfoy by the shoulder, forced him to face her, and punched him hard on the face. There was a satisfying crack, and she heard him give a soft cry.

"You... you _punched me!_ " he said stupidly. "You... I..."

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, _what_ is happening here?"

Minerva McGonagall stood not far from them and did not seem happy at all, and Hermione almost felt sorry. Almost.

"Malfoy made a crude comment about her origins, professor," Harry said quickly. "I think Hermione did not like it," he continued, trying to stop grinning but failing miserably. Hermione herself had a hard time to look serious when she confirmed what he had just said.

"I see," professor McGonagall said after a while. "Normally, Miss Granger, both of you would have lose some points and be given a detention. However, because it is the end of the year, I can't do any of that. In the future, however, I'm counting on you not to display such bad manners."

"Of course, professor," Hermione answered, feeling a bit relieved. Had Snape been there, she was sure he would have found a way to give her detention during the holidays.

"Mr. Malfoy, please go to the infirmary. Mrs. Pomfrey will tend to your injury."

Malfoy left promptly, not looking back, and McGonagall followed him.

"What was he talking about?" Ron asked when they were alone.

"I've known for a while, but I didn't want to say anything because Remus is the best teacher we've had so far and I wanted him to stay. And it's not his fault, really, I don't know how it happened but..."

"Hermione," Harry interrupted, "what has Malfoy done to Remus?"

"He's... I think he's discovered that Remus is a werewolf."

* * *

Sybille Trelawney looked one last time around, checking that everything was in order before she could leave the room. The fire was extinguished, the tables properly aligned, her sets of tea-cups sorted by color and even the crystal balls had been put back into their boxes. She had an early portkey to catch tomorrow morning, but she wanted her class to be spotless when she left for her one-month trip. Satisfied, she adjusted her scarf around her shoulders and took her wand to close the windows. It suddenly felt very hot and she felt dizzy for a few seconds, but her moment of weakness passed quickly and she left the room, completely oblivious that she had, for the second time in her life, made a real prophecy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things:
> 
> Pettigrew knew about the spells in the map and found a way not to appear on it.
> 
> Regulus' reaction: I wonder whether or not I should make it so dramatic, but I found it plausible. He is still very young and doesn't want to become like the other Death Eaters. 
> 
> Severus told Draco about Lupin at the beginning of the year but said he would take care of it himself. When Draco learned that Buckbeak had been freed, he decided to act (he regretted it, I think).
> 
> The prophecy is the following, it's almost the same: 
> 
> "The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Before the Day of the Deads... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was."
> 
> That's all for today, I hope you liked that chapter as well :)


	9. A Very Muggle Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's summer, so here's a chapter about summer.
> 
> Hope it's not too hot where you live, here it depends on the days but sometimes I wished we had a pool -_- hope you're not too affected by the corona crisis either, here things are better but really, when you see what's happening all over the world, it's not over at all :(  
> ___
> 
> Ps: I'm aware that I'm still making a lot of mistakes, if you want to help me with the correction, please send an e-mail at krummbeinmaghermine@gmail.com!
> 
> Krummbein

Hermione waited for the guard to indicate that she could leave and walked pass him, not afraid for a moment that there was a brick wall standing in front of her and that she was directly charging into it with her trolley. It was not the first time that she left Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, and she knew that it was only an illusion to hide the Magical side of the station from the Muggles. She didn't blink when she went through it and was greeted by the sight of her parents, waiting for her on the other side.

"Welcome back love," her father said. "I trust you had a nice end of the year?"

"Yes dad," she answered, before turning away from him to greet her mum. She hugged her tightly, before letting her father push the trolley for her. God, she had missed them.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Granger," she heard from behind. It was Sirius, who was waiting for Harry. Not far from him, she could see Ron and Ginny leaving with the rest of the Weasley family. Mr. Weasley seemed to want to come by and say hello to her parents but his wife took his by the sleeve and guided him out of the station before he could do anything. Sirius introduced himself to her father before waving his hand in someone's direction, and she deduced that Harry had arrived.

"I'm happy I caught you before you left," Sirius said after he had greeted his Godson. "I wanted to ask you if Hermione could come by on the 31st, we're going to have a party for Harry's birthday in the evening. Ron will stay for the night, your daughter is welcome to do the same if she wants," he told her and her parents. She did not even need to beg them to go and stay with her friends. They knew about Harry's previous situation and were glad that he could now be free to do as he wanted.

"We'll take Hermione to your place, then," her mother answered.

"Alright, that's settled! Now if you excuse us, we still have about one hour of drive before arriving home and we have a late reservation. Until next time," her father smiled, shaking the hands of both wizards.

Her parents were not parked far away from the station and within ten minutes, Hermione found herself seated on the back seat, Regulus locked quietly in his (larger) basket. She felt bad for him, but he had told her he would not mind as he knew he wouldn't have to stay in it too long.

"I've decided to drop Divination and Muggle Studies," she told her parents after a few minutes of drive. "It was too much in the end, and I think I wasn't really myself most of the year because of that."

"I'm happy to hear that, your father and I thought exactly the same thing" her mother told her, "but I'm proud you tried, darling. You know that we support you whatever you decide."

"Thank you, mum."

After that, the journey home passed quickly and soon, Hermione was back in her childhood bedroom, Regulus-the-half-Kneazle on her bed.

"I'm going to take a shower. You can use it after we're gone to the restaurant, if you want. Your things are in my trunk, I'll let them here so that you can find them." He nodded. "You can stay here or go at Sirius'," she said, "just don't forget that magic will be detected as I'm a Muggle-born, so don't use it in the house." He nodded again. "Alright, I don't know when we'll come back but pretty late, I think. You can stay at Grimmauld Place if you want, I'll just tell mum and dad it's not unusual for you to leave for a few days."

She took her things and left the room, happy to know that she was going to her favourite curry place.

* * *

Regulus put his hand in front of his eyes, blinded for a moment by the bright sun that greeted them when they left the cinema. It had been raining when they had entered, and it was a happy surprise. It was only the second week of July, but the weather had been bad on London since they had come back.

"I never imagined Muggles could create something like that," he told her after a while. Hermione had insisted to go there, claiming he would like it and he had been amazed by what he had just seen. Dragons – no, _dinosaurs_ – only a few meters from him, on a giant screen. The _movie_ had apparently been released a year earlier, but Hermione had not been able to watch it and had jumped at the chance when she had seen it was played today. The sight of the image had been strange at first, and it had taken at least thirty minutes for his eyes to get use to the size of it, but soon he had totally forgotten the discomfort and found himself immersed in the story. He just hoped Hermione would not tell anyone of the scream he had made when the T-Rex had appeared.

"Yes, it's incredible how the movie industry is able to outdo itself year after year. I'll have to show you the Star Wars trilogy, it's a classic and I'm sure you'll love it."

"If this is something similar to what we just saw, then I believe you."

"Well," his friend told him, "you can't compare Star Wars to Jurassic Park, it's not the same really. There are a lot of different types of movies, but not all of them are great. We could ask Harry and Sirius to join us, next time, that's a shame they weren't available this morning."

"Why not."

"We still have half an hour before the bus leaves, do you want to get something to eat? I think your brother said they would have eaten before they arrived."

"Yes, let's find some food, I'm starving. And this time, it's my treat," he told her, seriously. She had insisted to pay for his ticket and to Regulus, who had been raised to be the one to pay for everything when being in company of a lady, it had been something very difficult to accept.

"Alright," she said, trying to hide her smile, "I don't want you to be pouting the entire afternoon because I refused to let you pay for something."

"I don't pout," he said indignantly. "Blacks don't pout."

"Of course, they don't," she said casually, but he had the strong impression that she was making fun of him. They walked for a few minutes, passing in front of many stores and Hermione lead them to a small take-away at the corner of the street. They both ordered a sandwich and shared a muffin (Hermione wasn't supposed to eat too much sugar) and the bottle of water that Regulus refilled from time to time.

"And you said, there are a few skeletons at the museum? Dinosaurs' skeletons?"

"Yes, but that's not the only thing. The museum is divided into four different zones, and each of them houses small galleries, like the one about Volcanoes and Earthquakes, Fossils, Minerals. I particularly like that one."

"And there's an entire gallery dedicated to dinosaurs? I'd like to see them, I'm pretty sure they have a common ancestor with the dragons."

"Maybe, I've never really thought of that to be honest. But you're right, some Magical and Muggle animals do have common ancestors after all. Ah, here's the stop. We only have five minutes to wait before our bus arrives. You've got your ticket?"

He took it from his pocket and kept it until they entered the bus. The found two seats and stopped talking for a while, as she knew he liked watching at the streets they crossed. It was so fascinating, to see the Muggle world. He had seen it once or twice, of course, but only in passing, and he was finally discovering what had been hidden from him before he came here. After a while, he felt Hermione's squeeze his shoulder and followed her out of the bus.

The building standing in front of them was huge and looked ancient, and he immediately liked it. Hermione was already explaining everything about it – why it had been constructed, and when – and he listened distractedly to her ramblings, smiling internally at her enthusiasm. Sirius and Harry appeared a few minutes later, and they entered together in the museum. Sirius paid for them, and Hermione immediately took them to the blue zone, where he knew the famous dinosaurs where displayed.

"Look at that," Sirius murmured, amazed, "some of them are bigger than dragons, that's incredible."

Regulus could only agree, reading carefully each sign he found. Because of that, it took them a while to get out of the gallery, and they had a hard time deciding which way to go next. Harry wanted to see the human biology exposition, but Sirius said it was boring and that they should go to the mammals' hall. In the end, all of them agreed to visit the exposition explaining the origin of the Universe, and both Regulus and Sirius said that what they had learned couldn't be real.

"And what better explanation do you have?" Hermione asked, but neither of them knew what to say. Wizards hadn't really looked before the first traces of Magic on Earth.

They stayed there until the closure, but were still not able to see everything on display. Hermione promised him they would come back later to see the Red Zone where the Human Evolution was explained, and Sirius invited them to dinner before escorting Hermione back home. Regulus arrived a few minutes later, as Crookshanks, and went to her door, tapping slightly against it before she opened it. He entered and he warded her room before changing into his human form.

"I wanted to thank you for today, I really had fun exploring with you," he told her. "I hope we'll be able to go out before the end of the holidays."

"I had fun too," she said, smiling. "I'm sure I'll be able to show you some of my other favourite places before we leave for Hogwarts."

"Good, then, I can't wait to discover what you'll show me next" he replied, smiling back to her. "I'm going to bed, good night Hermione."

"Good night, Regulus."

* * *

Hermione's parents parked in front of the house (or where it was supposed to be), and she got out, taking Regulus with her. She let him out of his cage and he jogged to the door, which opened as soon as he arrived in front of it. Surprised, he was even more shocked when he saw what was behind it. He waited for the Grangers to arrive and entered with them.

"Master Sirius told Dobby to guide Mr., Mrs. and Miss Granger into the living room. Mr. Weasley is already here, Miss," he told Hermione, "as well as Mr. Lupin and Mr. Snape."

Dobby, Dobby... Wasn't he the elf who had tried to ki... help Harry?

"Crooks, I think you can go play in the garden," Hermione said.

He recognized the invitation to go and transform back into a human and did as he was told. His clothes were in his room, and he changed for something more appropriate for a small party. He got out of his room five minutes later and joined the other in the living-room, where Hermione was chatting enthusiastically with the small elf that had opened the door.

"I'm so happy for you, Dobby," she was telling him. "I'm sure you'll do great in the house. And you're saying Sirius accepted to pay you?"

"Yes Miss," the elf answered, beaming. "A galleon a week, and a day a month off!"

"That's not a lot," Hermione's mum commented.

"Oh, Master Black wanted to give more to Dobby, but Dobby told him it was too much for him. Dobby thinks what Master Black offered is more than enough for him. Dobby hopes that by Christmas, he'll be able to save enough money to buy new socks!"

"Oh, hm, that's nice, Dobby," Hermione answered politely, exchanging an uneasy look with her mother. Her father was looking at the small creature a bit worriedly, and Regulus wondered if he had ever seen one.

"Ah, Reg," he heard his brother call him, "come here, you don't know Mr. and Mrs. Granger yet. That's Regulus, my little brother," Sirius said, taking him to the Grangers. "We've only reconnected a few months ago, and I have to say..."

But no one knew what he wanted to say, because suddenly a woman screamed in terror and they heard a body fall on the ground.

"Oh crap," his brother said, looking worriedly at Andromeda. "I haven't told her about you, I wanted to surprise her but apparently it wasn't a good idea. Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," he said, before going next to his cousin, whose daughter was trying to revive her. Severus followed him, a small vial in the hand, and they transported her on the next sofa.

"I think I'm missing something," Mr. Granger said. "Why did that woman faint when she saw you?"

"Mrs. Tonks is a cousin of Sirius and Regulus," answered Lupin, who had come closer to the scene, "and Mrs. Tonks seems to have been a little bit surprise by the sight of her long-dead cousin, looking exactly the same as when he was nineteen years old."

Mrs. Granger looked at him with something akin to confusion in her eyes and Mr. Granger's mouth opened, then closed, and he shook his head slightly.

"Alright, I don't even want to know how it happened. Your world is too confusing for me."

"That kind of incident never happens, Mr. Granger," Lupin told him, "to be honest, I think it's the first time we've heard about such a thing. We don't know how Regulus was able to jump from 1979 to 1993, but something happened, that's certain."

"I thought you said he was supposed to be dead? So, he did not resuscitate?"

"Oh no, not at all! But as he wasn't physically here until 1993, Magic considered him dead."

"I see," Mr. Granger answered, but he seemed perplexed all the same and stared at him for a moment before turning to his wife.

"I think it's time to leave, darling, I'd like to go to the store before we go back home."

"Don't you want to stay?" Regulus asked them. "We would be happy to have you with us."

"That's very nice of you, but we thought we would take advantage of being in London to do some shopping. We are not that far from the city, but go there only when we take Hermione to King's Cross and we never take some time for us."

"Very good, then. Let me escort you to the door," he told them, leading them to the exit. Hermione came with them and, after saying goodbye to her parents, the went back to the living-room where Andromeda had finally opened her eyes.

"If that's a joke, Sirius, it's not a really good one," he heard her say in a sharp voice.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Andy, but it's real," he told her, and she blinked rapidly, looking at Regulus.

"But... but how?"

"We'll have a family discussion when we're done, cousin, and I'll explain everything. Ted should come too, if he wants. What I have to tell you is... sensitive information. And I'd like both of you to stay _extremely_ discreet about Regulus' return, if you don't mind. We don't want certain people to learn that he is alive."

Andromeda gave a small nod before taking another sip from her tea. Regulus felt the gaze of her daughter assessing him, and he suddenly remembered that she was an Auror.

"So, you're the other famous Death Eater in the Black family," the girl said. "You seem a lot nicer than Auntie Bella."

"Nymphadora!" Her mother admonished.

"Sorry," she said with a huge grin on her face, and Regulus laughed.

"It's alright, Ronald's reaction was far worse."

"It was," Sirius agreed, calling for Dobby who brought some refreshments. "But the kids don't know the full extent of what I have to tell you, and you may be more understanding when you learn the truth."

"It must be something exceptional, to have you invite Severus Snape to your Godson's birthday party", Andromeda commented.

"Exceptional, or critical?" Nymphadora asked.

"You'll judge that by yourself in a few hours," Sirius answered.

After that, the conversation was oriented on lighter subjects, and Regulus went to Severus, who was sulking in a corner, alone. It wasn't hard to understand why.

"I don't know why I accepted to come here," he said, in an acerbic tone. "I don't feel I'm on holidays at all. In fact, I feel right in the middle of a nightmare. Potter's birthday party, how could I sink so low?"

"Please. How long has it been since you've been at a party?"

"Not long enough in my opinion. Lucius' always invites me to dinners, and I can't stand the peacocks."

"He's got peacocks?"

"White ones, they hate everyone except him. Even Narcissa thinks it's too much."

"How is she?" he asked. He had always liked Narcissa.

"She's well, I think, she has everything she ever wanted. A nice husband, a nice son, and a nice house. I'm not sure, however, that she'll be happy when the Dark Lord comes back. Draco will soon be of age, and her worst fears when she gave birth was that He'd take an interest in him. She hated that Lucius had to serve a Master, and she doesn't want the same fate for her darling boy."

"I see. Were this to happen, please tell me. She might want to accept to change sides. Her son is one of the most arrogant boys I've ever met, but he doesn't deserve that. He's still young and I think he's just parroting whatever his father says."

"He is, but he might become like Lucius if nothing is done to prevent it. I'll keep an eye on the boy and his mother," his friend promised.

* * *

The trio had been sent to bed two hours earlier but had not protested, and Sirius explained the situation to the Tonks, with the occasional help of Regulus, Lupin or Severus. The family had stayed quiet during the recount of the events – Regulus' sudden reappearance, the Prophecy, Dumbledore, and the Horcruxes – and they had stayed quiet a while after that. Finally, Ted cleared his throat and spoke up.

"I suppose you haven't told anyone else about that?"

"No," Sirius said. "And I don't think anyone else should be told. I know how hard the first war was for you, and we all agreed that you could be trusted with that information. We won't ask you to help us if you don't want to. But you are family, and we want you to be safe. If it's anything like last time, I feel better knowing that you have a plan in case things go wrong."

"This is very generous of you, Sirius," Andromeda said. "I can't promise we will be able to help much; I have no true knowledge concerning Dark Magic, and Ted either. But maybe Nymphadora can help, she's just been promoted as a full-time Auror and was Moody's own trainee. Or maybe you could ask him for his opinion on the matter."

"Too risky, he is too close to Dumbledore and I still don't know if we can trust him completely, but that could have been a good idea. But don't worry, we'll find a solution to destroy the Horcrux we have in our possession."

"I have a question," Nymphadora said, looking at Sirius. "If you don't find another mean to destroy it, you'll have to go to the Chamber, correct? But you don't want Harry to go back there and that's partly why you've been looking for an alternative? Why don't you just ask him to tell you how to say _open_ in Parseltongue, and then professor Snape and Regulus go into the Chamber alone and take a fang off the Basilisk?"

They all looked at each other, and Regulus could almost see his brother wondering how he hadn't thought of that before.

"Alright everyone," he said. "I think there is at least _one_ bright person in this room."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, maybe more "casual"? I wanted some muggle time as well, and I'm so in love with London (and the Museum !!!) that I wanted to talk about it ^^ and of course, I need to begin working on Regulus and Hermione's relationship, even if it's just as friends for the moment.
> 
> Don't worry, there will be more things happening in the next chapter :D
> 
> I'm sooo happy I found something for Dobby! He must be so ecstatic to work for Harry \o/
> 
> Again, I'm really happy you take the time to leave a comment (or several!!) on my fic. I recognize most of the names and I hope I'll see them until the end of this fic :)
> 
> LOVE  
> Krummbein


	10. The Quidditch World Cup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: 1) when you read THAT part, the 6 lines paragraph after the apparition of Draco, just know that this is NOT Regulus thinking. 2) There's a new character, but we don't see him!
> 
> You'll understand what I mean, I hope.
> 
> \---
> 
> I have to tell you something. I had COMPLETELY forgotten the Quidditch World Cup when I first wrote that chapter. It was supposed to be September already. So now, I work with two website to check the dates! I just hope I did not miss any important event.
> 
> Good news: I'm done with chapter 13 (and it's a really long chapter \o/), and my drafts are extremely detailed until chapter 17. I have some ideas for what happens after that, but I'll focus on that part of the story later. I hope you'll like the new POV I might include, I like working with characters I don't see very often :)
> 
> ___
> 
> Ps: I'm aware that I'm still making a lot of mistakes, if you want to help me with the correction, please send an e-mail at krummbeinmaghermine@gmail.com!
> 
> Krummbein

It was a fine morning when Regulus arrived in front of the Granger's home. The weather had been nice since the end of July, and he, Sirius and Harry had just come back from a week in Spain. Neither of them had ever travelled so far from England, and it had been a nice experience to discover the beautiful beaches (for Harry), the wonderful history of the wizarding country (for him), and the fascinating girls (for Sirius, obviously). They had agreed that they should travel again as soon as possible, and Sirius had already booked a one-week trip in a ski-station in Switzerland for the winter holidays (Harry had suggested it, arguing that if Hermione did not like that sport, they surely would).

The day before their journey back home, Sirius had received an official owl, written by the Minister himself. The man had been trying to make public amends for a few weeks, now, and had invited Sirius to a few events hoping that he would accept to come and officially accept his apologies. So far, it had not worked, but when he had seen tickets for the final of the Quidditch World Cup, Sirius had decided that maybe, it was time to accept the apology. Or maybe he was just tired to receive that much owls in a week.

Regulus had briefly asked about his own participation to the event (sadly, there were only two invitations, and he was not sure half-Kneazles were allowed), but Sirius had silenced him almost immediately.

"We ask for Hermione to come, and we say that you're her French pen-friend. No one will question that. She speaks French, right?" he had asked Harry. The boy had no idea, but Regulus knew the answer, as he had helped her with her last translation two weeks ago. "Then, it's settled. They won't try to argue, they’re lucky I’m not suing them for what happened to me. Harry, do you know if the Weasleys are going? Maybe I can ask for more tickets."

Ronald had answered quickly and told them that yes, they were going, and that his father had secured places in the same box as them. He already knew that Sirius would be here and had also invited Hermione, but they had not known of her friend. If Sirius was able to get two more invitations, he could give the last ticket to Luna Lovegood, a neighbour who would probably be interested.

The two tickets had arrived with the morning post, and Sirius had asked Regulus to go and see if Hermione could come a few days early. He had learnt about the restriction placed on Muggle-borns concerning the use of Magic during holidays, and wanted to offer her the possibility to practice a bit if her parents agreed. Finally standing in front of the door, Regulus was on the verge of knocking when it opened, and a confused Hermione appeared in front of him.

"Regulus? What are you doing here?"

"Sirius sent me to discuss with your parents about the sleeping arrangements for the World Cup. There have been some changes."

"Oh. Come in, then."

She gestured for him to follow her to the kitchen, where her parents were apparently taking a late breakfast. Neither of them seemed to be surprised by his presence.

"Regulus, right?" Hermione's mother asked when she had put her cup of herbal tea on the table (tea and coffee were not good for your teeth).

"Indeed, Mrs. Granger," he answered formally, before bowing and kissing the top of her hand, and firmly shaking her husband's. He saw Hermione trying to hide a smile, and ignored the fact the he had once again used one of his 'outdated manners'. "I'm sorry for interrupting you on a Sunday morning, but I've been sent by my brother to ask for your permission to invite your daughter at Grimmauld Place next week, and to accompany us to the Quidditch Cup. I know she was supposed to go to the Weasley's, but we've come to an arrangement with them. Harry told us your daughter couldn't use magic at home and my brother offered for her to come a few days early so that she could practice with us. He thinks it's a shame that she can't have the same advantage as most of her comrades."

"That's a very generous offer," her father said. "Hermione told us of those restrictions at the end of her first year. We never questioned that decision, but she learned recently that children in magical families would not be detected if they used magic at home."

"That is correct. When this law passed, it was supposedly to avoid having children being hurt. However, some detractors of the law said it had been created to prevent Muggle-borns to practice, and to give them an unfair advantage against Pure-bloods. I think they were right, to be honest. My brother and I have always practiced during holidays, and it helped us a lot to be able to rehearse what we had seen at school."

"So, what do you think, darling? Should we let you go there and practice your magic?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing on the floor, and her father chuckled.

"When should she arrive? I suppose you will come back to take her?"

"Yes, that way you won't have to worry about going to London. The match is next Thursday, your daughter can come tomorrow if she wants, or later. Just send me an owl and I'll come to fetch her. I'll send Hedwig tomorrow morning."

Hermione nodded, turning to her parents.

"I think I'll leave on Tuesday evening, if that's alright? I've asked for some extra essays for the holidays, and I want to finish the last one on Animagi before I go."

"That sounds good," her mother said. "That means you won't be away for too long."

"Should I come at 6? Will you be back by then, to say goodbye?" Regulus asked.

"We will be, thank you for your concern."

"Good. Then, I'll leave you to your meal, Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

Hermione's father smiled at him and turned towards his daughter.

"Darling, do you mind escorting your friend to the door? Or can you disappear from here?" he asked Regulus.

"I suppose I could, but it's very impolite to do so. I don't mind walking for a few minutes," he said. "Good day to you, then. I'll see you on Tuesday."

The Grangers bid him goodbye and returned to their meal, and Regulus and Hermione left the kitchen.

"Regulus," he heard her whisper, "do you mind staying for a while? I could use your opinion on my essay. You're an animagus, after all."

"I suppose I could help you," he told her, before following her to her room. "By the way, did you receive the correction of that French translation we made last time?"

* * *

Regulus looked around him, observing Hermione and Harry's reaction as they discovered the interior of the tent they would be sharing for the rest of the day. Both of them had looked sceptical when they had seen its exterior, but their face had lightened up when they had entered. Even living part time with a Muggle family, he often forgot that Hermione and Harry did not know everything about magic and were sometimes surprised by its utilization in the everyday life.

"That's a nice tent," Sirius said, observing the small living room in front of him. "Fudge really tried to make us comfortable. There's supposed to be a spa in the main bedroom, so this is where I'll stay until it's time to eat. Dobby made some sandwiches and a nice mixed salad, I'll put that in the ice-box. I’ll see you in a few hours," he said before leaving.

"There are two other bedrooms," Regulus told the two friends when they were alone. "I'll share one with Harry, and Hermione will take the other one."

“Works for me,” Hermione said. “It's already nine, and Ron is waiting for us. Should we put our things in our rooms and go find him?"

They split up, and Regulus and Harry quickly went to their bedroom, leaving their small bags on their beds. Regulus made a quick jump to the bathroom to see if his charms were holding and followed the two Gryffindors out of the tent.

"Is it hard to do?" Harry asked him after he had put some privacy charms around them. "Human transfiguration, I mean."

"I've always been average in McGonagall’s classes, but I've never had any problem with human transfiguration. I think it has more to do with the family legacy, however. The Blacks were known to be metamorphagi, but that stopped a few generations ago. Nymphadora brought it back, however. Maybe my children or my nephews can be metamorphagi too if one of us marry a Muggle-born. And that trait must have helped us to become animagi, I managed it in a few months, and I know it can take years to achieve. To be honest, I was impressed to learn that Pettigrew was one. He never was really bright."

"Enough to put Sirius in prison..." Harry said grimly. "But you were speaking of family legacy. Do all the families have a specialty?"

"Most of them have, yes, as most of them have a house they favor instinctively. Yours, for example, is known for producing amazing fighters. Most of your ancestors were very strong, and good at combat. That doesn't mean they did not have other specialties, but it was their main one. The Malfoys are known to be natural occlumens _and_ legilimens, which is why they chose to work into politics. The Prince family made great discoveries in Potions, as well as the Dagworth-Granger. Speaking of them, have you ever tried to find for some ancestors in Magical families, Hermione? Spontaneous Muggle-borns exist, but most of them have one or two squibs in their genealogical tree."

"I have," she answered, "after I read of Hector Dagworth-Granger's love potions. But no, I can trace my ancestors back to their establishment in England during the 15th century, and it seems that I don't have any magical relation. But I cannot be one hundred percent sure, of course, I know that most squibs were adopted by Muggles when they were discovered. Or maybe one of my French ancestors was one."

"No, it would have emerged earlier."

"So, that means my mum had a Squib in her family?" Harry asked.

"You could try to find out by researching a bit," Regulus suggested, "but I don't think it's the case. Your aunt would have been magical too, and she is not."

"I see... I just hope Dudley will never have a magical child, I don't know what he would do if he had one."

"Probably what most of the Magical families do with Squibs. Put it to adoption as soon as possible."

"Regulus, that's a terrible thing to say!" Hermione said, outraged.

"But that's the reality, Hermione, you said it yourself. And in most of the cases it's better for the children. Squibs have a chance to have a normal life if they live in a community that accepts them as they are. Imagine for a second that you are the only one in your family _without_ any power. You've heard Ronald complain that he and his siblings can't use magic when they are home. Can you imagine what it would be if you knew you would never be able to use it?"

"I see what you mean," Hermione conceded, "but I still think the way they do it is wrong. They are ashamed of them, and they try to deny their very existence. If I can go to Hogwarts and stay in my family, why could they not go to a Muggle school and stay with their relatives?"

"I think I can see Ron," Harry interrupted her, and Hermione turned her head in the direction he pointed. "Don't let Hermione speak of things like that," he told Regulus quietly. "You should have heard her when I spoke of Dobby at the end of our second year. _'He was punishing himself? But Harry, that's horrible'_ ," he mimicked. Regulus nodded, and removed the charms he had put around them.

"Good morning Harry, Hermione," Arthur Weasley told them. "And you must be Réginald, right? Hermione told us you would come. You studied to Beauxbatons, I suppose?"

"I did not," Regulus answered with his best French accent, shaking the man's hand, "I had a very poor health when I was young, and did my education at home."

Ronald was observing him not so discreetly, apparently trying to detect the discreet changes he had made – blue eyes, brown hairs and more angular jaws were only a few of them – and he turned to shake his hand as well, smiling at him. Since their little adventure in the Schack, he had learned to appreciate the boy a bit more, and they had begun a tentative friendship during the summer.

"So, li'l Hermione found herself a new friend?" a voice that sounded suspiciously like one of the twins' said from behind them.

"A _boy_ friend?" asked another voice, this time from his left.

"Fred, George," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes at the two boys who were now trapping her and Regulus between them. "So nice to see you again. This is Réginald, my French _pen-_ friend."

"Ah yes. _La France. Paris._ _L'amouuuur_ ," one of the twins said, elbowing Regulus who was trying very hard to look indifferent.

"Fred, George, that's enough," Arthur told them. "Why don't you help me with the fire? The girls will be back soon."

"Sorry dear father," the twin on Hermione's side said, "but mother forbade us to do anything dangerous, and that seems to be extremely risky."

Mr. Weasley seemed to think that it was indeed a very good point and went back to his matches for a few minutes, before Hermione finally showed him how to properly use them.

* * *

Clutching at her pair of omnioculars, Hermione followed Harry and Sirius who were climbing the stairs eagerly. Even Regulus, who was usually very calm, seemed to excited by the prospect of observing the match. Hermione could understand them, the lively atmosphere was catching and she found herself impatient to see whatever magic would be displayed before the match. Discovering the charmed tent had been one thing, but she knew wizards always pushed the boundaries of her imagination.

Behind them, she could hear the Weasleys, and more particularly the twins enthusiastically chattering with Ron. She had heard Arthur complain to Sirius that Fred and George had made a bet with Ludo Bagman, and she could only agree with him when he said that they would lose all their money. She knew Percy had a tendency to idealize everything his new employer said, but after hearing Ron's description of the ex-beater, she couldn't help but think that there might be some things that were right.

"We're here!" she heard Sirius call from a meter above the rest of the group.

She climbed the last stairs and arrived in a large box, set above the rest of the stadium. It was large enough to welcome at least fifty guests, and Hermione wondered who else was supposed to join them, apart from Ludo Bagman and the Minister.

"Oh uh, hello?" she heard Harry say, and she moved next to him to see who he was talking to.

There was a tiny creature on one of the seats, with its face hidden in its hands, and wearing a white tea-towel draped like a toga. An elf, she thought, but which seemed smaller than Dobby, and she wondered if it was a female. She listened distractedly to their conversation, trying to find her seat.

"Can Winky help, sir?" it squeaked in a high-pitched tone, and Hermione knew that she had been right.

"Not really, I was just wondering what you were doing here?"

"My master sends me to the top box, sir, to save his seat."

"I see," Harry answered, apparently wondering why on Earth he had decided that engaging a conversation with an elf was a good idea. "But, why are you keeping your hands on your face? Is that too bright for you, here? I can ask Sirius to do something about that, if you want."

"Not too bright for Winky, sir, Winky is keeping her eyes closed because Winky is afraid of heights."

"Really? Erm, maybe we could save the seat for you? Who's your... master?"

"Winky is a good elf, sir," the tiny creature said in a clearly offended voice. "Winky does what her master asks of her, even if Winky wished she was back into the tent."

_Wait, what_?

"Really Winky," she began, "you should not..."

Two hands appeared apparently from nowhere, one sneaking around her waist and preventing her from moving, and the other one covering her mouth, stopping her from speaking. Someone's chin landed on her head, and she felt herself lightly pressed against a firm chest. She tried to turn her head to glare at the not-so-unknown man, but quickly gave up when she discovered that she would not be able to move at all.

"You can’t go all Gryffindor every time you think something is wrong, Hermione,” she heard Regulus' voice say in her hear. "I know it's really hard for you to stay out of it but it's better for all of us if you do. Trying to help Winky will only worsen things."

"But she's afraid of heights!" Hermione argued, after she had finally pushed his hand away. "He must have known that, and yet he asked her to come there!"

"And she will gladly do what's asked from her, whatever the price is. You don't know anything about elves, Hermione. Once we're back, I'll try to explain what I learned of them, and I hope it will help you understand them better. For now, try to relax and enjoy the show. The match should begin in less that fifteen minutes."

She reluctantly nodded and he made her turned to face him.

"You're almost cute when you're angry, did you know that?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"So, is that why Malfoy is always insulting me? Because I'm 'cute when I'm angry'?"

"Well," he begun, "I..."

"Found yourself a boyfriend, Granger?" a drawling voice said not far from them. "Never thought anyone would be stupid enough to ask you out."

Somewhere, she knew, Fate must be having the time of its life watching Draco Malfoy enter the small box only a few seconds after she had mentioned him.

"Of course, no one would do that," she heard her Regulus say sharply to the blond. "Even the dumbest wizard would understand that you should directly propose to a girl like Hermione."

Hermione felt her face grew hot, and she heard Sirius loudly high-five Harry. Malfoy seemed too shocked by Regulus' retort to say anything and stayed gaping at them until his parents appeared.

"Draco, what is going on here?" Lucius Malfoy asked, his eyes examining his surrounding before stopping on her and Regulus, and then on a point behind them – Sirius or Arthur Weasley, if the grimace on his face was an indication. The woman next to him had gone extremely pale and seemed regretting entering the box. Narcissa Malfoy, she recalled, had never really liked her cousin.

"I see..." Lucius Malfoy said, not even trying to hide the disdain in his voice.

"Ah, Lucius," a new voice said, completely oblivious to what was happening. "I'm happy to see you here. May I introduce the Bulgarian Minister for Magic?"

"What did you say about not going all Gryffindor?" Hermione asked Regulus ironically, finally freeing herself from his arms. "I've dealt with Malfoy for years, and with bullies since I went to school. I don't need you to be my prince in a shining armour, I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."

"Hermione look, I..."

Still feeling extremely irritated – was it the declaration itself, or the fact that he had been the one to say it? – she left him and sat next to Ginny Weasley, at the end of a row. Trying to ignore her heart beating furiously in her chest, she focused on the game that was about to begin.

* * *

The little witch had been fun to watch, he had to concede that. She had seemed furious when she had heard the elf say that it did not want to be here, and he had enjoyed himself immensely when he had seen her face after the declaration of her friend. It had been meant as a compliment but clearly, she had felt insulted. He had never liked Gryffindors, too daring and reckless, but he had not been able to tear his eyes from her the moment she had appeared in the box. A shame she had to be a Mudblood, really.

* * *

Regulus had had a hard time concentrating on the match, replaying in his head what had happened earlier. Why had she reacted that way? Alright, maybe his comment had been a little bit _too_ forward, but it wasn't an insult for Merlin's sake. He was so engrossed in his thought that he missed Krum catching the snitch, and totally ignored the cheering crowd around him.

"Stop sulking, baby brother," Sirius whispered. "If she thinks you made a mistake, consider she is right even if that's not the case and go apologize for something you did not do. Trust me, you'll become mad trying to understand what happened, better ask for her forgiveness as soon as you can."

People were leaving, now, and he got up, following behind everyone. When he arrived near the seat were the little elf was, he tripped and swore, trying to find what had caught his foot but found nothing. Quite angry, he left, muttering a few well-chosen curses against the ground that was uneven.

They were exiting the stadium now, and he Sirius and Arthur were trying to decide whose tent was the best to host a small party for the celebration they wanted to make. Finally, Arthur won, and the little group followed the Weasleys back to their camp. It was very late when they came back to their own tent, and Regulus immediately went to bed, deciding that whatever excuses he had to make to Hermione could wait until the morning. It felt like only a few minutes had passed since he had fallen asleep, when he heard Sirius shout next to him.

"Reg', wake up. Reg'. REGULUS!"

Startled, he opened his eyes and found his brother next to him, looking extremely nervous. Harry was already up, trying to put his jacket on, and Hermione was there too, her hands slightly trembling around her wand.

"What's happening?" he asked, suddenly feeling completely awake. He could hear people scream, outside, and he had a bad feeling.

"I'm not sure, but this isn’t good at all. People are running from something I can't see, and I saw tents on fire a few blocks away. We have to hurry, we can't apparate away and I wasn't able to summon Dobby."

"You take Harry, I take Hermione?" Regulus asked, leaving his bed and dressing up, before going into the bathroom and quickly modifying his face.

"Yes,” Sirius shouted from the bedroom. “Harry, Hermione, come here now, we're leaving. If you think you're in danger, use your wand."

They exited the tent as fast as they could, and found themselves in front of witches and wizards running away from something they could not see.

"Sirius, wait!" Harry called from behind. "I can't find my wand."

His brother frowned and tried to summon it, with no success.

"I don't like knowing that you are defenceless, but we don't have a choice. Follow me, now."

Regulus grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her towards the crowd, trying to stay next to his brother who had Harry with him. He put his wand in front of them, mentally preparing for a fight. Hermione was crunching his fingers, but he did not let her go and guided her away from the danger as fast as he could. People were everywhere, looking scared and screaming, some of them pointing in the direction of a large group of wizards with masked faces. _Death Eaters!_ he thought in alarm when he saw them. He tightened his grasp around her hand, pulling her closer to him. _If they find us..._

"Oh my God," he heard her say, genuinely horrified. "Is that..."

"The Aurors will take care of them," Sirius shouted, leading them towards the edges of the forest.

"Sirius, what about the Weasleys?" Harry asked.

"They'll be alright, don't worry. I'll contact Arthur as soon as we are back home and safe."

They had arrived under the canopy of the trees, and the crowd was beginning to spread out.

"Wait, I think it's Ron! RON!" Harry shouted, and they heard someone answer.

"Harry, s'that you mate?"

He had stopped running, and his brothers and sister were waiting for him, as well as the blond girl he had seen earlier today.

"Yes, we're all here. You?"

"Dad, Bill, Charlie and Percy went to help the Ministry, they told us to go hide in the forest."

"One of them should have stayed with you," Sirius said, "you're not trained in case something happens."

"Oh, I'm not so sure," one of the twins said. "I wouldn't try to get on Ginny's bad side, and Fred and myself also know some nasty spells."

"We saw Death Eaters," Sirius said sharply. "Your little spells won't help against them. Go, we'll stay behind you. Molly will have my head if she learns I did not take care of you all."

It took them only ten minutes to leave most of the crowd behind and they found themselves in a small clearing, alone. Sirius was trying to see where they could go, hoping the anti-apparition wards were not too far away. Suddenly, he turned around, narrowing his eyes and pointing his wand behind Regulus' head.

"Who's there?" he asked, suspicious.

It was too dark to see anything, and Regulus pointed his wand in the same direction, casting a _lumos_. They looked around but saw nothing, and he was about to cast a human-presence-revealing Spell when a cold voice broke the silence, shouting a spell he had heard too many times in his life.

"MORSMORDRE!"

There was a flash of green light, and the screams seemed to intensify around them. Regulus did not have to know what had happened; he knew that spell too well. He put Hermione behind him, and Sirius told everyone to cast a shield.

"Sirius, what...?"

"It's the Dark Mark, Harry," Hermione shouted, "You-Know-Who's sign! Sirius, we have to leave _now_ ," she screamed at her brother.

Regulus had conjured a shield and moved a bit to include Sirius and Harry with them.

"She's right, Sirius, the Auror will have spotted it and will arrive as soon as..."

The sound of apparition was heard everywhere around them, and some twenty wizards soon encircled them.

"DUCK!" his brother shouted, and he pulled Harry down, while Regulus did the same with Hermione. They heard the sound of spells being cast above them, and he kept his head on the ground.

"Stop!" yelled someone he thought he recognized. "That's my children you're shooting at! And Harry Potter!"

Arthur Weasley broke from the crowd and ran towards the little group of red-heads, but stopped right in his tracks when someone called him.

"Stay where you are, Arthur. It happened here, one of them had to do it."

"Surely, Crouch, you don't think that Arthur's children are to blame?” Sirius asked, trying to get up. “Or are you implying that one of _us_ did it? A French wizard, a Muggle-born, Harry Potter – the _Boy Who Lived_ – or myself?"

"Everyone is suspect," the man replied, "especially you."

"Sir, we hit someone," one of the wizards who had disappeared in the woods said. "It's an elf."

"Blimey," another man added. "Barty, it's yours!" He was carrying its little body in his arms, and all of them gasped when they saw that it was clutching at something.

"Hey, it's my wand!" Harry shouted, leaving Sirius's side and approaching.

"Your wand, really boy?" Crouch asked, his voice sounding extremely suspicious. "And how come you don't have it on you?"

"Don't say anything else, Crouch," Sirius threatened. "Don't you dare accuse my Godson. Harry discovered it was missing before we left the tent, and that's all. Now, give it back to him, and let us go."

"A moment, if you don't mind," one of the man next to them said. He took the wand and muttered a spell, and a copy of the Dark Mark appeared at the tip of the wand.

"Well, I think we know who did it," he said, designating the elf with his head.

"Are you mad, Diggory?" Sirius asked. "We heard the voice, it was a man's, and a human one. That elf did not do it. Why would it, anyway?"

" _That elf_ , was supposed to stay in the tent," Crouch interrupted. "And _that elf_ , did not obey my orders. Leave it to me, Amos, I'll deal with it later. Potter, take your wand back. You can go," he said to the rest of the group. "The apparition point is not far from here, keep going North for five minutes and you’ll be out of the wards."

"Good. Come with me," Sirius told them, "we're leaving this fucking place."

* * *

His father was an idiot, he thought, looking at the man in front of him. He had let go of the elf, the only creature that could have helped him right now. But no, he had fired her for a stupid reason, and thought he would be able to keep his son away from his master. Stupid man. He would have to stay alive, of course, but he would be dealt with as soon as possible. For now, he could be useful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it seems that it was not really clear for everyone, it is Barty Junior, who is in the box as well, who observes Hermione. It's also him who makes Regulus trip! And it's also his POV at the very end of the chapter :)
> 
> _____________________________
> 
> Did you know that I checked most of the dates I mention in my fics? I like that, if someone checks a calendar, what I say fits! I had to make some minor changes, of course (the days of the full moon did not work well enough for me), but most of the time I try to respect that kind of thing. Do you think it's too much? :p
> 
> Alright alright, the real subject. 
> 
> What did you thought of Regulus' reaction to Draco? Huuuum???? And what he did before that? ;) and the rest of the chapter?
> 
> And yes, Barty Crouch is finally here, and he's the one who made Regulus trip ;)
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	11. Slytherin's Nest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS TERRIBLE!
> 
> I accidentally posted chapter 13 while editing a few mistakes I had seen, and it took me a while before realizing it! I don't even know how it is possible, I thought I would get a message if anything like that happened because I have two chapters before that :'( I sincerely apologize for this and hope that no one saw my mistake before I could arrange everything but I know some of you have subscriptions .
> 
> So um well, I decided to post chapter eleven today. I hope you won't hate me x)
> 
> And now I'm wondering if I'm not posting the wrong chapter. 
> 
> Krummbein

They had spent the journey barricaded into the wagon, comfortably talking about how the rest of the summer had gone. They had avoided the subject of the Quidditch Cup which suited Regulus just fine, because firstly it had been added to his bad memories (and he already had too many of them), and secondly it had distracted Hermione from the fact that Mr. Crouch had fired his elf (he remembered quite vividly her reaction when she had learned that Winky had been fired).

After they had come back to Grimmauld Place, Regulus and Sirius had had a small conversation about the attack and were still wondering what it had meant. Was is only a way for the Death Eaters to say that they were still here? Or a preview of what was going to come? Was Voldemort already preparing his comeback? Needless to say, both brothers had been extremely worried by Harry's return to Hogwarts.

Privately, Regulus was also concerned for Hermione. Sirius had been right, a few months before. In the incoming war, she would be a target, her family would be a target, and he couldn't let that happen. When it came to protection, Harry still had Sirius, and Ronald had his parents. But, as a Muggle-born, she had no one. Of course, Sirius or the Weasleys would gladly protect her if need be, but they had their own children to take care of. _That won't matter_ , he had thought, _I'll be there for her._

Harry and Ronald had been in the middle of a fierce competition of pastries-eating when the train had slowed down, and Regulus and Hermione stopped their Arithmancy Quizz and reluctantly put the books back into her suitcase (Regulus liked quizzes, and Hermione too, and they had spent a great amount of time reviewing this year's program during the train ride, much to the dismay of their two companions). The train stopped and they got up, and Regulus looked at his cage warily. He didn't like the thing at all.

“Don’t wait for me,” he told the trio when they were about to leave the compartment, “I’ll be with Severus most of the night, I think. I might sleep there.”

The three friends exchanged a glance before Harry asked.

“Is it about the Chamber?”

“Yes.”

“I wish you’ll let us come with you,” he said. “I’ve been here before, I could help.”

"Yeah, I'd like to come too," Ronald added, "Harry says the Chamber is _cool_."

_Really_ , Regulus thought, _only a Gryffindor would think that going back where his sister and best friend almost died is_ cool _._

“Harry," Hermione said, and he could almost hear her roll her eyes in exasperation, "you and Sirius already discussed that. You were _very_ lucky the first time you used that fang, and we don’t want to repeat that. Professor Snape and Regulus will be able to handle that in a faster, safer way. And Ron, do you really want to go into a chamber were a Basilisk's corpse has been decaying for more than a year?”

The red-headed quickly shook his head, and Regulus mouthed a "well done" to her. She beamed at him, before turning back to her luggage.

“Alright, alright,” Harry said, sighing. “Come on, guys, we should hurry before there are no more places in the carriages.”

They waited for Regulus to transform and go into his cage before casting the counter-charm and opening the door. Hermione kneeled beside him and wished him a nice evening, and both boys waved at him before leaving the compartment. Because he had already been in that position many times now, Regulus knew the elves would appear as soon as the final student had left the train. Indeed, less than a minute after the sound of the discussions had faded away, a soft pop was heard, and Regulus felt the physical world constrict around him.

Elf apparition was nicer than its human equivalent, however, and soon Regulus' cage reappeared on top of Hermione's luggage. The elf that had brought him in levitated his prison and opened it quickly, before leaving with another _pop_ , probably to get the others girls' luggage. Regulus did not wait for it to come back and left for the boy's dormitory, where he discovered that everyone's suitcases were already there. Satisfied, he transformed back and took his second sandwich from Harry's suitcase, where a new compartment had been magically added for his things. He ate it slowly while reading a novel Hermione had provided, regretting a bit that he was not able to go to the kitchens (Dobby's cooking was good, but a warm plate from the first Feast of the year was better). He had been there for almost two hours when he finally decided that it was time for a digestive walk. The Welcoming Feast lasted a while and Severus had his duties as a Head of a House, as well as a short staff debriefing before he was able to go back to his chambers, so Regulus knew he could take his time.

He really liked the castle at night. Everything was quiet, as if the world around him had stopped, and only the sound of his claws on the granite flagstones could be heard. It was a steady sound, and oddly it helped him to think more clearly. And he needed to think.

There was a tiny piece in him that had not wanted to leave for Hogwarts. Going back to the castle meant stopping his and Hermione's little escapades into the Muggle world, but also renouncing once again to a part of his freedom, and leaving the brother he was still getting to know after years of separations. But worse, it meant going back to the mission he had assigned to himself last year, to the threats on Harry's life, it meant remembering that the Dark Lord's return was imminent.

Obviously, he had not totally forgotten about the Horcruxes. He, Sirius, Severus and Lupin had met several times to discuss about the Dark Lord, the hiding place of the potentially third Horcrux, how many of them he could have done, and how they should destroy the one in their possession. But those sessions had been outnumbered by everything else, and even the incident at the Quidditch Cup had not weakened Regulus ardour to embrace his new life. But now he was once again walking along the school's corridors, wondering how much time was left before the Dark Lord rose back to power.

It pained him to admit it, but he knew that something was bound to happen. Sure, it had taken _Him_ ten years to try to come back, but he had almost succeeded, and twice in a row. And after last year, he knew that there was a possibility for a third Horcrux to appear, of for the real Dark Lord to come back. Who knew if there was not another Peter Pettigrew waiting for his chance to bring the wizard back to life? Thankfully, they had at least a way to know if something happened. Severus had not liked the idea of using his Mark as a relay antenna, but it was their best option so far as it had changed during Harry's first year, when Quirrell had been there.

And there was still the problem of Dumbledore. They did not trust him with Harry's welfare, but should they not bring him into the loop? Despite all his flaws, the man knew more about the Dark Lord than anyone, and he might be able to help them find whether or not there were more Horcruxes, and what they could be. Better for them, Dumbledore wanted the Dark Lord destroyed once and for all, and he could be a powerful ally. But so far, none other than him had found it would be a good idea to trust the old Headmaster, and Regulus only hoped that they would not understand too late that they should have accepted his idea.

Without realizing it, Regulus found himself in front of the Slytherin's Common Room and he waited there for a while, wondering whether or not he should go to Severus' chambers. There was a commotion not far from him, and a few students appeared at the corner of the corridor. He left, hurrying into the direction of his friend’s room. The hidden door opened for him, and he settled into the sofa, taking a book that had been left on the coffee table. He had only read the first chapter when his friend appeared, looking irritated.

“Something wrong?” Regulus asked him.

The man shot him a dark glare and throwed his cloak in a corner before sinking onto the couch and summoning two glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey.

"Fucking Dumbledore asked Moody to be the new DADA teacher. And I wondered why he wouldn't tell me who it was. The man is totally mental, and he hates me. And I thought things could not get worse since your wonderful brother's escape, _HA._ Now, there is an ex-Auror breathing behind my neck, waiting for me to make the mistake that will send me to Azkaban."

"Doesn't he trust Dumbledore's word when it comes to you?"

"No. Dumbledore never told anyone why he was so sure I was against the Dark Lord. According to Moody, a Death Eater is scum, a spy is worse because he has no side."

"What about the fact that he trusts you with the students? You've been here for years, and you're Head of your house. Dumbledore could have found someone else if he thought you were not trustworthy, right?"

"Don't make me laugh. Do I need to remind you of Quirrell? I could smell Dark Magic when I was meters from him, and, despite his assurance that it was perfectly normal for a DADA teacher, I'm sure that the old man knew something was wrong. Dumbledore keeps a bad fortune-teller, and the DADA teachers get worse each year. He doesn't care if one is trustworthy or not, as long as you suit his plans, he keeps you. Trelawney is only here because of the prophecy, half of the staff was in the Order, and I'm only here because I might be useful again to him. I hate that fucking job. I should be inventing ground-breaking potions and I’m stuck with stupid brats who blow up cauldrons just by entering my classroom."

"Couldn't you leave the castle?"

"And who would employ me, really? Lucius doesn't need a full-time Master in Potions, and St Mungo does not like my last employer. No one would trust me if I opened an Apothecary. Dumbledore did well. He was able to keep me out of prison, but did not removed the suspicions everyone had on me. Karkaroff left Britain and went back home, where no one knew what had happened. Lucius had enough money and power to make everyone important willingly forget that he _might_ have been involved in some more or less legal activities. I have nothing. No name, no fortune. I'm a half-blood. What did you expect? And besides, I want to be there when He comes back, now. I want to help."

"Why?"

"You _know_ why," Severus said, starring at him coldly. "My actions won't erase what I did, but at least I'll know that I tried everything to fix my mistakes."

“Severus, do you really think He will trust you? Even if you succeed, you'll be in danger all the time."

"My choice is made, Regulus. Now that you are here, it changes some things, but even you can't argue against the fact that a spy will help you and your brother. I'll report to Dumbledore, but I'll report to you as well. He doesn't know about us, about the fact that I'm willing to help my worst enemy because he is taking care of Lily's son. I still hate your brother, and I still... _dislike_ the boy, but I find that I can't stop thinking about him, and about the fact that he might die if I'm not working with you to protect him. Let me do as I wish, Regulus. Even if it costs me my life."

Regulus smiled sadly, thinking of his own tentative of self-sacrifice.

"Alright then, Severus, alright. I can't really argue with you, you foolish man. And you say I'm too much like a Gryffindor. I wonder which one of us is the worst. Just promise me you won’t take any more risks than you should. There are other ways to redeem yourself than becoming a fallen hero.”

“… We’ll see,” the man finally said, before taking a sip from his glass. “So, happy to be babysitting again?” he asked after a while.

“I’m not ‘babysitting’,” Regulus said, exasperated. “I’m making sure that Harry doesn’t get killed. You’ve seen what happened last year. Had I not been here, he would have gone after Pettigrew.”

“Potter is a lucky bastard,” Severus said, sighing loudly. “All those times he could have died, and he didn’t even manage it.”

“Please, you've basically told me many times, including two minutes ago, that you wanted to help protect him. Don't try to fool me. You like him as much as you can like someone. I'm not including myself, of course."

“… He’s better than his father, I’ll give you that.”

“Way better, yes. Draco, on the other hand…”

“Don’t tell me he’s worse than the Marauders, Regulus. He hates Potter, Weasley and Granger, yes, but he’s never done much against them. Potter’s father and your brother begun in their first year, and it was worse than everything he’s ever done. Do I need to remind you how many times we ended in the infirmary with broken members?”

“True,” Regulus answered, wincing. Sirius had been less aggressive with him than with Severus, but he had attacked him nonetheless. And James Potter had seen to that.

“But let’s forget those glorious days,” his friend said bitterly, “and speak of our visit to the Chamber. We’ve finally a date for Karkaroff’s arrival in the castle but we have until Halloween to decide what to do about him. If you don’t mind telling your brother yourself, I wouldn’t mind. I've heard about that little mirror of yours, I figured it was better than using my floo.”

* * *

“Reg, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament in October, Dumbledore said so yesterday!” Ronald told him excitedly as he entered the dormitory. He had left Severus’ rooms when his friend had gone to breakfast and decided to take a look at the trio before their first day at school. Ronald and Harry were alone, and he transformed back, closing the door behind him.

“I know, Severus told us about it a few weeks ago.”

“And you didn’t tell us?” the red-headed asked, apparently a bit offended. “Hermione knew a lot about it, I wish I was old enough to participate.”

“I don’t,” Harry said, “I’ve enough problems already, I don’t need another chance to die, thank you.”

“Very wise of you, Harry. If Hermione did her job correctly, Ronald, then you’ve heard that the age limit was decided because too many students had been killed.”

“Yes well, even if I’m not chosen, I’d like a chance to try,” the boy said, pouting. “Can you imagine? No exams!”

“And the obligation to work harder than everyone to have a chance of success,” Regulus told him.

The boy’s face fell, and he knew he had made his point.

“Mum wouldn’t let me anyway,” he said unhappily.

“Sirius wouldn't let me either, especially if he knows about the deadly part,” Harry grinned.

“I think he wanted to call you tonight. I saw Severus yesterday, and we have some things you need to know before the competitors arrive.”

“What kind of things? Please, don’t tell me I’m in danger again…”

“You’re not in danger, at least we don’t think you are. However, that does not mean we cannot be cautious. But enough of that, Sirius will try to contact you after dinner, we should find an empty classroom for you to go in. He wants Ronald and Hermione to be there, too.”

“Alright, alright. Can you find one and wait for us after dinner?”

“Yes.”

“BOYS,” Hermione interrupted them from the common room. “What are you doing? You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Even Seamus has left already. We can’t be late on the first day, you know that.”

“Just go,” Regulus told them. “I’ll see you after classes.”

* * *

The day passed slowly for Regulus, and he knew that he would have to find something to do very soon. He had taken a lot of books with him, but he needed to find another occupation. Maybe he could ask Severus if there were some potions to brew for the Hospital Wing? Or maybe he could ask the boys if they needed his help to review their homework?

The Great Hall was emptying, and he looked at the continuous flow of students coming out of it. The older ones were coming first, apparently hurrying in direction of the library. His group of Gryffindor, being only in fourth year, was taking more time to arrive. Finally, he saw them, and he hurried in their direction, avoiding a pack of giggling first years that tried to pet him.

“Ready, Crookshanks?” he heard Hermione ask.

He meowed and guided them into the empty classroom he had found earlier. Harry had taken his mirror with him, and they set it on one of the tables, waiting for Sirius to call them. They only had to wait for ten minutes before he appeared in front of them.

“Hi everyone,” he said, smiling, “how was your first day?”

“Nice,” Harry answered, “but we have Astronomy in an hour, and Transfiguration first thing in the morning. Still, always better than Potions when you haven't slept enough.”

“I’ve talked to Snape; this year should be better than the previous ones.”

Regulus remembered clearly that conversation, as he had been here to prevent both men to kill each other. Luckily for them, none of their injuries had been too bad, but he had not liked being cursed by Severus, even if it had been accidental.

“Thanks, I really hate that class, and him, even knowing that he is on our side.”

“No problem, pup. So, you’ve heard of the Tournament, right?”

“Yes” Hermione said eagerly. “Two other schools are going to send their best students in order to try for the competition, and all of them will stay for the duration of the year. Professor McGonagall told us one of the objectives of the Tournament was to tighten the relationships between the schools and to promote the unity of Hogwarts.”

“That’s the official version, yes, but mostly the schools want to prove that their students are the best, and to spy on the others. Durmstrang and Beaubaton never hosted the events, both of them fear the others would try to discover their secrets.”

Hermione seemed a bit disappointed by Sirius’ revelations but said nothing, letting him speak.

“I know I’m going to sound a bit paranoid, but I want you all to be extremely careful, especially you, Harry. Durmstrang’s Headmaster is coming with his students, and he is an ex-Death Eater. He was pardoned by the Wizengamot but Regulus and Snape don’t think he can be trustworthy. He turned his back on his comrades but maybe he wouldn’t hesitate to try something if Voldemort were to come back. I’ve heard that Dumbledore hired Moody – the Auror who caught Karkaroff – and I think he agrees with that. Don’t hesitate to go to him as well, he will help you.”

“I will,” Harry promised.

“Good. Then, I think leave you your last moments of freedom before you have to go to class. Don’t forget to call me this weekend, Harry. Ron, Hermione, Reg, I’ll see you all soon.”

* * *

Regulus had been grading second years tests when the door opened loudly, and a furious Snape stormed in.

“Moody again?” he asked, not even raising his head from his copy.

“Yes. He wants to search my rooms, and I had to go to Dumbledore to avoid that. The man is still trying to find a reason to put me back in Azkaban.”

“Well, he listened to Dumbledore, didn't he? At least the man wants to be on your good side, I’m not sure Karkaroff will be that lucky.”

“True, but I still don’t like that. If it was someone else than Dumbledore, he would have broken into my office, I know that.”

“Well, he won’t, so don’t worry. Now, don’t you think you were a little too harsh with your students? A test, on the first day of class?”

“They were not paying attention to my lesson,” his friend said, irritated, before looking at a copy Regulus had just corrected. “You're too nice,” he said, “no one will believe that I wrote that. Next time, let me take care of the comments.”

“I will. Now if you don’t mind, I need to go back to the Common Room. I told Hermione I would help her with her work, she’s already working on Arithmancy’s projects.”

“Please, help her learn how to _synthesize_. I won’t deny that she’s good, but she always writes twice what’s asked from her. And don't forget the part where you help her stop regurgitating every book she's read. She really needs to stop quoting half of the year's curriculum, it grates on my nerves you have no idea.”

“I’ll try,” he said, before transforming back into Crookshanks.

Severus opened the door for him and he left quickly for the kitchens, where the elves served him a small dinner. It was nearly eight when he finally arrived in the Tower, and Hermione was apparently waiting for him.

“Ah, good, you’re here. Come on, we have the dormitory for ourselves until nine thirty. Lavender and Parvati are meeting with Padma in the library.”

He followed her into her room and jumped on her bed. She closed the curtains and took care of the privacy spells.

“Alright,” he said, “how was your first lesson with Moody? The boys seemed impatient this morning.”

“It was… interesting,” she said, as if hesitating to critic a teacher. She didn't have to be shy. He had heard her opinion concerning Trelawney, after all. “I mean, I get what the twins meant when they said that he had _seen_ things, and I understand that it’s important to know what the Unforgivables do, but maybe the demonstration was a bit too much. You should have seen Harry’s face after he had killed that spider. And I don’t know what happened to Neville, but he could not stop shaking when he left the classroom.”

Regulus winced. Maybe the man had been a good Auror, but he was not a teacher. And how come Dumbledore had authorized him to perform that kind of spell in front of the students?

“Well, if you think what he does is too much, tell me. Sirius will take care of it. We don’t want the students to be traumatized by their teacher.”

“It’s not like he’s torturing us or something like that,” she told him. “Dumbledore wouldn’t let someone dangerous teach, right?”

“I’m not so sure,” Regulus answered. “He seems to choose bad DADA teachers. Quirrell and Lockhart were a bit dangerous.”

“Lockhart wasn’t _that_ dangerous,” Hermione said, her cheeks reddening a bit.

“One could argue that he was worse than Quirrell. That man only wanted the Philosopher Stone, and eventually Harry. Lockhart could have easily killed a student because he was totally incompetent. At least, Quirrell knew what he was doing.”

“Alright alright, can we please drop that subject? Harry and Ron are still teasing me about him. Let’s talk about Arithmancy instead.”

She opened her book and took a parchment and a quill, before launching herself into one of the longest explanation Regulus had heard in a while.

* * *

“Potter, stay after the class. We need to talk about your disappointing grades,” Severus said, his mood brightening when he saw the boy’s ashen face. Maybe he could no longer treat him like the nuisance he was, but he still had the same effect on him. That was extremely satisfying.

“Dumbledore is leaving the castle tonight for two days,” he said when they were alone. “Tell Regulus to come into my chambers after the curfew. And Potter,” he added, when he saw that the Gryffindor was relaxing a bit too much to his liking. “Tell him to tutor you in Potions. Your grades are a disgrace to us all.”

Potter’s seemed about to say something but held back, and Severus had to admit that maybe Regulus’ presence was having a good effect on him. It couldn’t be Black’s doing, the man would never stop being too bold, even now that he was almost a parent. The boy finally turned away from him and left the class, closing the door behind him. Severus glanced at his watch, sighting in relief when he remembered that he had a break before the next students arrived.

Two classes, five detentions, three explosions and one nasty accident later, he finally left his dungeon for the Great Hall, where he was soon joined by his colleagues. As usual, he sat between Filius and, sadly, Alastor Moody. The man ignored him for most of the meal, speaking with someone else, before turning towards him.

_Ah, here we are._

“So, Snape. Heard from your pal lately?”

“I don’t know who you are talking about,” he answered with an icy tone.

“Karkaroff. You Death Eaters like to keep contact with one another, maybe to remember the nice things you did together. I know you see Malfoy regularly. Nasty man that one. Fudge always was too interested in money; it will be his downfall one day.”

“What I do in my spare time does not concern you, Moody. I tolerate Lucius enough to accept his invitations once a month, but that does not mean we’re _pals_.”

“You’re his son’s Godfather.”

“And the story behind that is not yours to know,” he answered, before putting his fork on the table and getting up abruptly.

“See you tomorrow, then. Had a nice time chatting with you, Snape.”

Severus ignored the man and left the Hall through the back door, hurrying back to his quarters. Regulus was already there, but his friend had enough common sense to avoid asking him what had happened.

“You’ve got the cloak and the map?” he asked after he had calmed down a bit.

“Yes. I took a broom, too. I suppose you already have one?”

“Of course.”

“Well, good. Now, we’ve only got… four hours to wait. What should we do in the meantime?”

“I told you to come after curfew. Don’t you have some people to tutor in Potions?”

“I can’t, I need to use your laboratory if I want him to practice.”

“Potter needs help with the theory _and_ the application. Just trying to make him understand what’s written in his book should take you most of the year.”

"Maybe I should take Longbottom and Ronald as well, then," was all Regulus replied.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm in a girls' bathroom," Regulus said to his friend.

"I can't believe this is your main preoccupation right now," Severus told him sharply.

They had been here for a few minutes, and Severus had been working on the wards around the sinks. Once they opened the passage, they would only have one hour to go into the Chamber and come back before the protections were active again.

"I can't believe Hermione was able to brew Polyjuice in such a disgusting place."

He heard Severus sigh loudly, but he wasn't sure whether it was his attitude or the reminder that a twelve years old girl had broken into his personal stock of ingredients and correctly brewed one of the most complicated Potion in the seventh-year curriculum.

"Come on, we don't have any time to lose. I've done my part of the job, do yours."

Regulus nodded and came near the sink where he knew a small snake was engraved. Watching it for a moment, he closed his eyes and thought clearly of the word he had learned earlier.

" _Open,_ " he hissed.

There was a loud noise coming from the ground and, before him, the sink began to move. Before long, it had totally disappeared, and a single pipe had replaced it. Severus handed him his broom and they jumped into the dark entrance. It took them less than five minutes to arrive at the corridor Harry had described, and they immediately enlarged the passage that had been created by Ronald a few years before. Apparently, Dumbledore had not been there before sealing the Chamber. He supposed it was a good thing.

There were small skeletons on the floor, and he cringed when he heard the small skulls being crashed under his feet. Ginevra's body could have laid there, or worse, Harry's. How the boy had been able to continue when he knew his friend was probably dead, he had no idea. But again, if it had been someone he cared for, he would have done it without any hesitation. As he followed behind Severus, he tried not to imagine Hermione on a hospital bed, frozen... _No_ , he thought, shaking his head.

"I think we're here," he heard his friend say. "Can you open it too?"

Regulus nodded and again, pronounced the single word they needed to enter. The two snakes guarding the door moved slowly from their place, leaving the passage open. Severus went first, his wand lighted.

The Chamber was huge, and Regulus had to admit that it somehow forced the respect of whoever entered it. Even knowing that the room had been designed to host a giant snake supposed to kill every Muggleborn living in the school, he observed his surroundings almost reverently, taking it the details on the walls, the towering pillars around him, the statue of one of the Founder of the school. But what impressed him the most was the giant body that laid on the ground, unmoving, but still powerful enough to terrify after its death. The rats must have found it, because the carcass seemed to have been half-eaten, but there was still a lot of meat on it, and most of the skin was hanging on the skeleton.

They approached it cautiously, a Bubble-Head protecting them from the odor that had been perceptible from the corridor, and Severus assessed the carcass in front of him, before checking his watch. Apparently, they had enough time, because he begun to cut a long piece of the skin before putting it into the bag he had taken with him. Ah yes, Potion Master. While his friend was occupied, Regulus went to the skull of the beast, and looked at the fangs. The gum was already gone, and it would be easy to detach one. Or maybe more. Weren't Basilisk fangs an extremely rare potion ingredient as well? Keeping that information in mind, he took not one, but thirty fangs, the biggest he could find. Carefully, he levitated them to Severus, who opened his bag and nodded. Finally, he picked a small fang with precaution and handed it to his friend.

"You do it," he told him.

The man looked at him for a long time before taking it from his hand, and slowly taking out the box containing the Horcrux. As soon as he opened it, however, the atmosphere changed drastically. It was as if _it_ knew what was happening, and Regulus felt once again the piercing intrusion in his mind, trying to get past the defensive walls he had erected, but this time it was more hostile, more malicious, and he knew they would need to act quickly before it was able to do some damage.

"Severus, quick!"

But Severus could not move and was looking at the locket, which had opened, revealing two feminine silhouettes, one of them he recognized easily.

"You killed me, Sev," said the sad voice of Lily Potter. "I thought you were my friend, but you turned against me and destroyed everything I had. How could you?" she asked, her voice echoing through the Chamber.

"You never were worth of my time," the other voice said. "I did everything I could for you, and see what it did in the end. He killed me, and you know it. Because I was trying to protect you. You were useless, and you still are. Nothing good comes from you."

"Nothing good," the voice of Lily Potter repeated. "You failed to save me, and you will fail to save my son. Everyone around you dies, Severus, even your own mother."

"Do you think you'll be able to help your best friend when you were not able to help the only women you ever loved? Really?" the other apparition – his mother – asked.

"Sev'," Regulus told him, "stab it! It's lying to you!"

But the man was frozen on the spot, a single tear falling slowly from his eye as he looked at the two women facing him.

"SEVERUS, IT'S NOT REAL. IT'S TRYING TO SURVIVE, KILL IT BEFORE IT DESTROYS YOU!"

That seemed to do the trick, and his friend finally raised his hand in the air before piercing the locket with the fang he was holding. A dreadful scream came out of it, hanging in the air and amplifying with time before it exploded it their ears, leaving them half-deaf for a minute. The wave of Magic that had been contained erupted from the locked, pushing them on the ground and dissolving around them. Everything stopped abruptly, as suddenly as it had begun. Both men got up from the floor, shaking, looking at each other.

"Next time," Severus told him, "you do it."

* * *

He sat in a comfortable old sofa, facing a great fireplace where a huge pile of wood had been ignited to warm the cold house where he was. He did not like the house – too cold, too old, too _Muggle_ – but it was still better than the forest, and he needed a place to rest and to recover his strength until his plan was set into motion.

He was tired, so tired, and so _weak_. He hated that feeling, hated having to rely on a _Muggle_ , but again, he had no choice. All his followers except one had abandoned him, and he knew that without the old _Muggle_ taking care of him, his faithful Death Eater would not be able to do his job properly. At least, he didn't have to rely on him to control the man's weak spirit, that was something he was still able to do.

Letting the old house-keeper had been another of the ingenious ideas his faithful servant had had. When the old man had been found by Nagini, his first thought had been to take care of the potential threat. But his follower had asked him to hold back and explained that the terrified Muggle could be of use to them. _After all_ , he had said, _we need someone to milk Nagini for you_. _The man will be easy to imperius, and Nagini will protect you if something happens_.

So, he had kept the man, and discovered that he was indeed easy to manipulate. He couldn't remember seeing such a weak spirit, honestly, and had begun wondering if the use of Muggle slaves might not be a good idea in the future. He was pretty sure it would work.

"My Lord," the old my said, interrupting his thoughts, "Nagini found two of the boys I told you about sneaking into the house."

Ah yes, the Muggle children that kept breaking the windows of the house and destroying the gardener's work. The man seemed to hold a grudge against them.

" _Come_ ," he hissed to Nagini.

His old friend appeared, dragging two frightened teenagers with her. The sight was delightful.

"Tell me, Muggle, what was it you said you wanted to do with them if they broke again into the house?"

"Kill them, my Lord," the old man spit out sharply.

Voldemort smiled, and lifted his wand in the direction of the two boys that had been released at his feet.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

* * *

Four hundred miles away, Harry Potter stood up suddenly, waking a huge orange cat that had been sleeping at his feet.

"Regulus," he said, shivering, "I think I dreamt I was Voldemort."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope that, if you read chapter 13 already (please, tell me you didn't), this will explain some things. I'll post chapter 12 on Monday so that you can understand what's happening if you read chapter 13.
> 
> And now, I'm going back to my room and try not to tell myself that I made a terrible mistake x)
> 
> Krummbein


	12. The Triwizard Cup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've modified a chapter and added another one, and I'm happy to say that I didn't accidentally post another chapter!
> 
> A little announcement: I'm taking a break next week, so I'm not sure I will be able to post the next chapter. I'll have a lot of things on my mind and I won't be able to reread it before posting it, and I'm not even sure I'll have access to the Internet (countryside, you know what I mean).
> 
> So, enjoy the fact that you had one more chapter because of my clumpsiness *hides behind her hands*.
> 
> Krummbein
> 
> ___  
> Ps: if you want to help me improve this fic by removing the many mistakes that I made, please send an e-mail to krummbeinmaghermine@gmail.com

Regulus closed the hangings around Harry's bed and put a silencing charm around them.

"What do you mean, you dreamt you were the Dark Lord?"

"I had that... dream," Harry said, his voice shaking a bit. "But it didn't feel like one really. And I was _him_. I... He... He was in an old house; I think it was abandoned. And he was really weak, and he hated that. And also, he hated that it was a Muggle house, and that he was alone with a Muggle. Well, I'm not sure he was totally alone. Someone else was mentioned, one of his... his followers. But he wasn't there, I think. He had a mission to accomplish for him. But I don't know what it was. And then..." the boy stopped talking for a minute, and Regulus tried stay calm while he waited. Harry was obviously shaken, and he needed to stay composed for him. "Then, two Muggle boys were brought before him. They had broken into the house, and that huge snake – Nagini, I think? – had found them and imprisoned them. And the Muggle was there, too. He was – is? – imperiused. To help him. And then, _H_ _e_ killed the two boys. Like that. He... I... I was there, Regulus. I'm sure of it. And _I_ did it. _I killed them, Regulus!_ " he said in a near hysterical voice.

"Harry, stop," he told him firmly. "I won't deny that your... dream seems strange, but I can guarantee you that you did not do any of that. Now, I don't think we should take what happened lightly. Take your dressing gown, and your cloak, we're going to Severus'."

Harry, still moved, nodded, and got up to take his things. Regulus took his wand and charmed two pieces of parchment that he sent to Ronald and Hermione in case they wondered where they had gone. Then, becoming a cat once again, he led his friend to Severus' quarters.

* * *

It was exactly 2:38 in the morning when the alarm he had set on his wards told him that someone had entered his office. Sighing, he got up, ready to comfort (or try to, at least) the first year that had come crying in the middle of the night, because you know, adapting to Hogwarts and being far away from your family was _so_ hard. Why did they keep coming to him, for Circe's sake? Did he look like he _cared_? He was halfway through his chambers when the door opened, and a very gray-looking Potter appeared, followed by a nervous Regulus.

"The Dark Lord?" Severus asked immediately, concerned by the looks on their faces.

"We don't know," Regulus said, "that's why we need your help."

"What happened?"

"I had a dream," the Potter boy said quietly, "only, I'm not sure it was one. And _He_ was there."

"... I see," Severus answered slowly. "I suppose you want me to look into the boy's mind?" he asked, turning towards his friend.

"Yes. A dream won't leave the same outline as a memory."

"Indeed. Potter," Severus said a bit sharply. "Have you ever heard of Legilimency?"

"No, sir."

"To put it simply, it allows me to browse through your mind. As someone raised in a Muggle environment, you may compare it to mind reading, even if the real exercise is nothing like that. What Regulus wants me to do is to find the _dream_ that you had, and to figure out whether or not it really happened."

"And if it has, sir?" the boy asked nervously.

Severus glanced at Regulus, who looked back helplessly.

"... We'll improvise. Now, Potter, I only want to see that one memory, so the only thing you have to do is to focus on it to allow me to access it easily. The process itself is not painful, however, you will feel something akin to a headache while I'm in your mind. I'll try to be gentle, but you may feel a bit dizzy when I'm done." The boy gulped, and nodded quickly. "Now, I want you to look at me in the eyes, and to concentrate on that memory. Are you ready? Good. _Legilimens_."

Potter's mind was, as expected, extremely unorganized and totally unprotected. He could clearly feel the boy's unease and hurried to find the memory, making a mental note to tell Regulus to teach him how to occlude as well. It took him only a few seconds to find what he was looking for and entered the scene. As soon as he arrived, the few doubts he had had disappeared. It was not a dream. Carefully, he observed his surroundings, before focusing on his feelings. He was weak, tired, magically drained, and extremely uncomfortable with his body. He had a wand in his hand, and his heart skipped a bit when he recognized it.

_The Dark Lord's_.

A giant snake arrived with two prisoners – Muggle kids – followed by an old Muggle who seemed to be imperiused. He followed the exchange uneasily and winced when he saw the green light coming at them. He withdrew as softly as he could from his host's mind and blinked, before turning to Regulus.

" _This_ ," he said slowly, "was not a dream."

Both boys turned green, and Regulus looked at him, clearly shaken.

"He's back," he whispered.

"It would seem so," Severus confirmed coolly, trying to keep his own emotions under control. "I've been observing my Mark regularly but it hasn't changed, at least not enough to be perceptible. We should consider ourselves lucky to have had a warning, but I don't like the way it happened. I've never heard of such a connection, and I don't know how it works. I could try to examine it, but I fear looking too closely might make the Dark Lord aware of it, and this is something we cannot allow. In the past, The Dark Lord has been known to control the minds of his victims in order to create false visions or memories to manipulate them. We cannot let that happen to you, Potter, that's why I want you and Regulus to practice something called Occlumency that will help you to close your mind. When properly controlled, you should be able to use it even when you sleep."

"I don't want any more dreams like this one," the boy whispered in a horrified voice.

"Now, what do we tell Black?" Severus asked. "He needs to know, but I'm not sure waking him in the middle of the night is the best idea. Your dear brother always reacts badly, and I'm not sure him storming through Dumbledore's office will help us stay out of the old man's radar. For now, Potter is as safe as he can be, so I think we can wait until tomorrow to call for a meeting."

"Works for me," Regulus said. "Harry, do you think you will be alright without speaking with Sirius?"

"Yes, don't worry," he answered. "I'll talk to Ron and Hermione tomorrow anyway and you're right, Sirius might react badly and I don't want him worried over me."

"Good," Severus said. "Then, I suggest you go back to bed, Potter. Here, take this," he said, summoning a vial of Potion for Dreamless Sleep. "It will help you."

The boy took the small bottle and nodded his thanks – it was extremely weird to see Potter so civil towards him – before disappearing under his cloak. Regulus followed him and they left Severus in his chambers, alone.

_Well, fuck_ , he thought, collapsing in his bed.

* * *

"I need to talk to you," Harry told them seriously as they entered History of Magic. "Something happened during the night, and Regulus and I went to professor Snape's rooms."

"Ha, good one mate," Ron said, taking a bit from the waffle he had brought with him. "Why would you want to go to that snake's rooms?"

Hermione looked up from her book and stared at her friend. He was not joking at all, she realized immediately. Whatever had happened must have been really terrifying for him to look like this. She had not really paid attention during breakfast (she had finally received the book Regulus had bought her for her birthday and had already been reading it when the boys had arrived), but now that she looked closely at him, she could see the lack of sleep clearly written of his face.

"Wait until we're seated, I'll put a Muffliato around us."

Ron seemed to have realized that this was not a joke and was eyeing Harry warily. It was a good thing that they were in History of Magic, she thought, because no one would pay attention to them. She sat, her two friends flanking her as close as they could, and she put her things on her table before quietly muttering the spell to give them some privacy.

"What happened?" she asked immediately after professor Binns had begun his lesson.

"I... I don't really know. One moment I was dreaming, and suddenly I found myself in that old house and realized I was Voldemort."

Ron gasped loudly, and Hermione dropped her quill on her desk.

"What do you mean, you were Voldemort?" Hermione continued, not concerned by Ron's soft whimper when he heard the name again.

"I mean I was _in His head_. What he saw, I saw; what he thought, I thought, and what he did... I did."

"Harry," she asked softly, concerned by the small tremor she had heard in his voice, "did something happened while you were... there?"

Her friend nodded slowly, adverting his gaze from her and looking resolutely at his desk.

"I... He... There were two Muggle boys who had been breaking the windows from the house where he lived and he... he..."

"It's alright mate," Ron said seriously, putting his hand on his shoulder. "We get it."

"And after that, Harry?" Hermione asked, trying to distract him. "You told us you went to professor Snape?"

"Yes. I woke Regulus and told him about my dream, and he brought me there. Snape looked at the memory and told me it had not been a dream."

"Do you mean...?"

"Yes. He's back."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, looking ill.

"Snape was certain."

They stayed silent for a while, before Hermione finally said something.

"Do you think He'll try something against you?"

Harry fidgeted on his chair, playing nervously with a quill.

"I don't know. He seemed really weak, and Snape said I was safe for the moment. But I don't think that will be the case for long. Remember when Sirius told us about that man, Karkaroff? He'll be there in less than a week. And Voldemort was thinking of one of his followers, the only one he had left, who was supposed to have some sort of mission. It could be him..."

"Then, we still have some time to prepare ourselves."

"I hope so... Snape said he wanted me to learn Occlumency and asked Regulus to teach me. Apparently, it will help me to keep him out of my mind. He said that Voldemort used to manipulate people like that."

"Good thing, it might be useful for us to learn it as well. I'll ask Regulus."

"Does Sirius know?" Ron asked.

"Not yet, they're going to have a meeting tonight with Remus and the Tonks."

"Regulus will tell us what happened," Ron predicted. "We have a right to know."

"I think he won't be able to tell us everything," Hermione sighed. "But at least we won't be kept in the dark, that's something I don't like."

"Me neither," Harry said. "I'm grateful he and Sirius are with us. I don't know what would have happened if Dumbledore had been the only one to know things."

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Sirius asked for the fifth time since they had arrived.

"We already told you your bloody ward was alright, Black," Severus replied in an acerbic tone. "Go prepare some tea or do whatever you need to calm down while we wait for the others to arrive."

Regulus watched his brother leave the kitchen angrily and turned his attention on his friend.

"We should have told him something, Severus, it's going to be worse when he learns why we're here."

"If he can't learn how to control his temper when nothing concrete has happened, what do you think he will do when the Dark Lord moves for Potter?"

"You're right," Regulus sighed, "we can't let him go back Azkaban."

"We totally can," Severus said through his teeth, loud enough for him to hear what he had said.

The floor roared to life, and Lupin appeared in front of them, his green eyes scanning the room and posing for a few seconds on Severus' shape before turning in Regulus' direction.

"Good evening," he told them, clearing his throat. "Am I the first to arrive?"

"Yes," Regulus replied. "Sirius went to his room, I think. You might need to check on him, he was rather upset when he left the room."

The man nodded, apparently relieved to leave the two friends alone, and hurried to the door. A moment later, he had disappeared, and Regulus saw Severus relax a bit. The man didn't like being in the presence of the werewolf, and he could not blame him knowing what had (almost) happened to him.

"Did you know that Dumbledore asked me to brew him the Wolfsbane potion when he was at Hogwarts?" he asked bitterly. "He said that I needed to _put the past behind me_ and to accept that the man had no control over his affliction. He doesn't understand that what happened between us is deeper than this. He wants me to forget years of bullying when the man did _nothing_ to stop his friends, to forget that while I almost died in seventh year, your brother only had a month in detentions."

"I haven't forgotten either, don't worry. I'm still working on my relationship with Sirius, and the fact that he apologized to both of us does not change what happened. But I want to move on, I really want to, and it's not too late for you either."

"I don't know," Severus answered truthfully. "I've lived with that hate for so long that I'm not sure I will be able to let it go. I'm already trying to behave with Potter, but asking me to do the same with your brother and Lupin is too much. Contrary to the boy, they have a responsibility in what happened at Hogwarts."

"I understand, and I won't force you to do something you don't want. Just the fact that you are agreeing to help us is enough for me."

"Good."

The fireplace activated once again and Nymphadora – Tonks – appeared.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, going directly to Regulus and kissing both his cheeks too quickly for him to protest, "mum and dad won't be able to come, so they send me alone. Hello, professor," she told Severus, and the man groaned something in her direction. "Oh, was I finally able to arrive on time? Where are Remus and Sirius?"

"We send them to their bedroom, feel free to go and collect them," Severus replied ironically.

Completely oblivious to the tone of her former teacher, his cousin left, and less than ten minutes later, everyone was seated around the table.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what's happening?" Sirius asked sharply.

"Harry had a dream, last night," Regulus begun, "and..."

"Wait, a dream?" Lupin asked, astounded. "We're here because of a dream? I thought it was important."

"Of course, it is not," Severus answered acidly. "The only reason we're here is because we missed your stupid questions."

The man flushed a deep shade of red.

"The dream was, sadly, anything but one. We don't know how, but Harry was able to enter the Dark Lord's mind and to witness a double murder."

There was a sudden wave of Magic, and every glass in the nearby cabinet exploded. Severus rolled his eyes and wandlessly stopped the glass splinters from touching them.

"Are you saying," Sirius said, breathing deeply, "that He's _back_ , and that Harry now thinks he murdered two innocents?"

"To put it simply... yes."

"Wonderful. Just WONDERFUL."

"Sirius," Lupin said, "please calm down..."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Remus. Harry's even more in danger that we initially thought if he can access Voldemort's mind."

" _Don't say that name_ ," Severus hissed loudly. "And stop your childish act, Black. Do you really think we would do nothing? Your Godson is in Hogwarts for now, and will be trained to become an Occlumens. We can't let the Dark Lord become aware of that connection."

"Is there really one?" Nymphadora asked, moping the tea she had spilled on the table _before_ Sirius broke everything. "I mean, don't you think it was just a normal dream? Poor boy is under a lot of stress after all."

"No. I checked, and I can guarantee you that it happened. I don't know how the connection was created, but maybe it has something to do with that scar. I'm not sure yet, but I can't look into it as long as the boy is not able to close his mind. If we're lucky, he will be able to occlude before the end of the year."

Nobody talked for a while, and the awkward moment was finally broken by Lupin.

"So, He's back."

Regulus and Severus looked at each other, before the latter answered.

"Yes. He is still weak, but he has a body and that's really worrying. I honestly don't know how long we have before he moves, and I can't predict what is going to happen. One thing is sure: the boy is in danger. I learned that he had an agent working for him, and with Karkaroff coming at Hogwarts, I fear that we will have to be extremely careful."

"We need to bring Dumbledore in," Regulus cut in. "I don't trust him anymore that you do, but if he is aware of what happened, he will agree to protect Harry and be on the alert for anything unusual. And when the Dark Lord strikes, we will need more allies."

"No," Sirius said sharply. "Dumbledore stays out of this."

"You're not the only one taking the decisions, Sirius," Regulus said. "I thought we agreed we wanted to protect Harry. We don't need to tell Dumbledore everything, only that He is back."

"No. I'm not stupid, as soon as he knows how we discovered it, he'll try to use the connection to learn what Voldemort is doing."

"It pains me to admit it, but I think that Black is right, Regulus. Having a real insight in the Dark Lord's mind is better than anything I can report. For now, Potter needs to learn how to occlude, and will need to be careful once Karkaroff arrives. I'll do my best to see if the man is a danger to us and try to contact Lucius, or anyone that might have an idea of what's happening."

"Alright," Regulus agreed. "But if anything suspect occurs, we talk to Dumbledore."

* * *

Hermione fell on her bed and sighed loudly. Regulus, who had been asleep, curled up on her fluffiest blanket, raised an eyebrow. She shrugged, closing her eyes and trying to relax for a few seconds. Her day had been exhausting. The delegations were arriving tonight, and everyone had been excited about it for days now, but today had been worst. No one had been able to pay attention in class, and the teachers themselves had been distracted, resulting in a constant noise that had given her a headache. The door opened loudly and her two roommates appeared.

"Come on, Hermione, are you not excited to see the delegations?" Parvati asked, putting her bag next to her closet.

"I can't wait to see the students from Beauxbaton," Lavender said, "the rumors say those boys are _fit_."

Both girls looked at each other before giggling loudly.

"I don't judge boys on how fit they are," Hermione retorted.

"Yes well," Lavender said, eying her critically, "maybe you're right not to focus too much on appearance, Hermione. After all, you won't be judged on that either. Come on, Parvati, we can't be late."

Hermione stayed on her bed, frozen by the girl's comment.

"Wow," she heard Regulus say after they were gone. "That was harsh."

"You don't say," Hermione replied slowly, her voice quivering. "And I thought she couldn't get worse."

"Don't worry about her, Hermione," her friend told her. "She's just a superficial girl who wears too much makeup."

"Please. She's beautiful even _without_ her makeup," Hermione said bitterly, holding back her tears. "I'm just the bushy-hair girl with beaver teeth."

She felt Regulus shift next to her, and turned her head to look at him. He was now lying on his stomach, head resting on his hands, looking at her seriously.

"I like you the way you are but if you feel insecure about your appearance, why don't you try to change if a bit? It can be gradual, or just a small difference, like the way you wear your hairs."

"I don't _really_ mind my hairs," she answered, sighing, "it just takes too long to tame them properly. But I really don't like my teeth, they're too large" she added more quietly, trying to avoid his eyes.

"If you don't like them, why don't you go see Madam Pomfrey? She once shrunk my teeth after I had been jinxed."

"I don't know... It's so stupid, I'm not comfortable asking her something like that. I don't want to look vain."

"You're not being vain, a witch or a wizard would not hesitate at all."

She pondered for a minute on that. After all, why not? Her parents wanted her to have braces, but she knew it would not make a lot of difference for her teeth. However, she was certain that she would be teased harder because of that. If she asked Madam Pomfrey to shrink her teeth, it would be easier, and her parents would have no other choice than to accept the change.

"Alright," she finally said. "I'll go ask her tomorrow."

"Good, I can't wait to see how you look," he told her, smiling. "Now, go, I'm sure the boys are waiting for you."

"You're right," she said, jumping from her bed. "And Regulus? You're the best!" she told him, kissing his cheek before leaving the dormitory.

* * *

It took Regulus at least five minutes before he was able to move from his spot. _What on Earth just happened?_ he wondered, touching the place where she had kissed him. Shrugging, he got up, before switching to his animagus form and leaving the dormitory. He wanted to watch the delegations arrive, especially Durmstrang's, and he only had about fifteen minutes to find a discreet spot to observe the arrivals.

The common room was blessedly empty, and he encountered no one as he made his way to the castle's entry, where the entire school's population was waiting patiently for the delegations to arrive. Tactically avoiding Filch and Mrs. Norris (both of them seemed to find him extremely sympathetic), he made his way through the crowd until he found a window still that allowed him to observe his surroundings. A few meters away, the Heads of Houses were taking care of the last minutes details. It was nearly six when Dumbledore spoke up, getting the attention of the students.

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches."

"Where?" several students asked.

" _There!_ " someone yelled, and Regulus looked over the forest, where the boy was pointing.

Cat vision was definitely overrated, Regulus decided as he tried to discern what the strange form in the sky was. His sight might be improved during the night, resulting in the ability to see in darkness, but the rest of the time he was extremely nearsighted and could not see as far as when he was a human. It was only when a young boy suggested that a flying house was coming right at them that he realized what the shape was, and he watched the huge carriage hit the ground a few minutes later. Before long, a boy opened the door and jumped down, and the largest woman he had ever seen appeared. He had no time to observe her, however, because the Durmstrang's ship had been spotted in the lake, and he focused on the people he could see exiting the huge building. It took him a while, but finally, he was able to see the man he had been looking for.

Regulus had never been a high-ranked Death Eater and had therefore never heard of, or met most of the others. However, it was not hard to spot the tall man who was now talking to Dumbledore, standing out from the rest of the students with his silver cloak. He was too far away to hear anything from the conversation, but the Headmaster seemed genuinely happy to see his colleagues and chatted quietly with Dumbledore before following him to the castle. He would have to keep his eyes open and watch the man closely.

* * *

He did not like being back to the castle, but it was a necessary evil if he wanted to accomplish the mission his Master had given him. The place was Dumbledore's, after all, and the old goat was still smart enough to detect anything out of the ordinary. Of course, _this_ would certainly draw the man's attention, but the old Headmaster would never be able to understand the meaning of the accident if he did not know of the Dark Lord's return. And, even if he did, he would have no idea of what was coming.

* * *

" _Harry Potter._ "

The voice of Dumbledore echoed through the Great Hall, freezing Hermione in her seat. She should have known something was bound to happen, really, but, despite the recent events, she had been confident in the protection she thought Harry had in Hogwarts. _Of course_ , she thought as she recalled the facts (a deadly Tournament, an ex-Death Eater, a dream that wasn't one), _of_ course _I should have seen it coming_. Only the presence of Igor Karkaroff had seemed dangerous, and she knew that Regulus and Professor Snape where well-aware of that, as well as Dumbledore who had appointed an ex-Auror as the Defense teacher. How come no one had thought of the (literally) bloody Tournament? _How?_ Looking at her best friend, she fought the panic rising in her chest and smiled at him with a confidence that she didn't feel.

"Go on," she whispered, giving him a slight push.

Harry got up unsteadily on his feet, shaking as he marched slowly through the Great Hall until he was right in front of Dumbledore. The Headmaster gestured behind him, and she saw her friend disappear through the small door behind the teacher's table. She tried to stay keep calm, focusing on the plate in front of her.

_In, out. In, out._

Around her, the conversations had finally broken and it took the teachers a few minutes before they were able to catch the student's attention. Resigned, Hermione followed the Prefects, not paying attention to Ron. If she had, she might have understood that Harry's problems were only beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Krum is here!  
> Regulus is totally naive!  
> Ron is being extremely stupid!
> 
> WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN?
> 
> See you soon,  
> Krummbein


	13. The First Task

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from holidays! I was lucky to spend some time with various members of my family, I hope you too were able to see your loved ones :) I hadn't seen anyone since December, and obviously I couldn't go to my father's house before. I hope the situation in your country is stable, now? 
> 
> ____________________
> 
> I've worked hard on that chapter, I hope you'll see that ;D
> 
> Krummbein

The screams scarred him half to death, and it took him a few seconds to recognize that was he was hearing were victory shouts. Angelina Johnson must have been chosen as the Hogwarts champion, then. Regulus stretched and jumped from the bed, wondering if his ears would be able to bear the loud music that was now coming from the common room. He was almost to the door when it opened abruptly, and a furious Ronald appeared, followed by an anxious Hermione.

"Ron, wait, you can't really believe that he did that?"

"Fuck yeah, I can. Don't you remember what he said about going at night so that no one would see him?"

"He was only giving his opinion, not saying he was going to do it! He's already in danger, do you really think he would do something that stupid?" she screamed. "Did you at least see his face? He was _scared!_ Someone else put his name into the goblet, and I think you know that very well!"

Ron did not answer. Instead, he went directly to his bed and begun undressing. Regulus, who had just understood what was happening, was meowing loudly to get the teenagers' attention.

"Are you really going to ignore me?" Hermione said in disbelief.

When Ronald went to the bathroom, she repressed a scream and kicked a nearby shoe.

"God, he's so _immature_. Come on, Reg, we've got to catch Harry before he comes back into the common room. I'm pretty sure he won't want the attention. Can you show me where he keeps his cloak? I need the mirror, too. Sirius needs to know what happened." She sighed. "Do you think we should go to see professor MacGonagall to discuss this with her? Professor Snape?" she asked again, when he shook his head. "Alright, let's go." She put the cloak and the mirror in her bag and took him in her arms. "I'm sorry, but trust me when I say you won't be able to put a single paw in this room. People are totally crazy."

She was right, he thought as they crossed the common room. The entire house was gathered, celebrating Harry's entry into the Tournament, and everyone around them was trying to get to speak to Hermione, who _had_ to know what her friend had done to put his name into the goblet. As she arrived to the portrait, the twins went in, bringing with them enough food and drinks for everyone, and Hermione took advantage of the distraction to disappears. Letting out a sigh of relief, she put Regulus on the ground and took the cloak from her bag.

"God, I wish I could have worn it in the common room, it would have been easier to leave unnoticed."

Regulus meowed in agreement, and walked away from the Fat Lady's portrait as soon as she had disappeared under the cloak. They walked silently for a while, and Harry appeared in front of them a few minutes later, looking completely exhausted.

"Reg? What are you doing there?" he asked, looking at him quizzically. "Is someone here with you?"

Hermione lifted the cloak.

"Hi, Harry. I thought you would like a little anonymity and to talk to Sirius. We're going to see Professor Snape."

Harry smiled in relief and went under the cloak.

"God, thanks you two," he murmured. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a nightmare, only I know I'm awake."

Regulus listened carefully, trying to get as many clues as he could to understand what had happened.

"I suppose this means you have to compete with the others, then?"

"Yeah. Crouch said we were bound by a magical contract. No one seemed to believe me, at first, but then Dumbledore arrived and Moody said that only a Dark wizard could have confounded the Goblet. But that doesn't change a thing. The two other Headmasters didn't believe him, and neither did Cedric. And the fact that Ron isn't there means that is not believing me either, right?"

"I'm sorry Harry, but no. He wouldn't listen to me..."

"Don't bother, at least I still got you."

Regulus meowed again, and he heard Harry chuckle.

"Yeah, I haven't forgotten you either, don't worry."

They stopped talking, after that, because Mrs. Norris appeared around the corner and Filch followed her a few seconds later. Regulus wished he could have gone under the cloak as well when the old caretaker kneeled next to him and tried to pet him. Resigned, he let the man stroke him for a few minutes before leaving for the dungeons. At least, Mrs. Norris had stayed away from him. Harry and Hermione – the traitors – had left him alone when he had been cornered by the dangerous duo and were already insides the Potion Master's room when he arrived. Severus was clearly upset by their presence but did not seem to have said anything cruel to them. He did, however, give a dirty look to Regulus when he opened the door.

"Care to explain why you thought my rooms were the best place for you little reunion?"

"You know why," Regulus said tiredly. "I don't know what happened, and I want to hear your thoughts on the subject."

Severus just turned around and left, and Regulus followed him to the living room where the teenagers were sitting, Harry eying his teacher worriedly.

"So, can someone give me a quick review of the evening? I'd like to understand how Harry was apparently chosen as a participant for the Tournament."

Neither Harry nor Severus seemed in the mood, so it was Hermione who made explained how Harry had involuntarily entered the race along with Cedric Diggory.

"I see," Regulus finally said. "Severus, do you have something to add?"

"Moody," he spat, "said that only a Dark Wizard could have interfered in the choosing, and Dumbledore agrees with him. I find his hypothesis plausible, and I don't like it the slightest. I thought I would have enough time to investigate Karkaroff, but it seems that I will have to act sooner that I wanted. And sadly for Mr. Potter, Crouch said the truth. He _will_ have to participate to the Tournament. What happened tonight was not a coincidence, it was planned carefully by someone who might hope the Tournament will provide an excuse for any accident – or worse – happening to him."

Harry visibly blanched, and Hermione took his hand in hers.

"S'alright," he said weakly. "Didn't expect anything else really."

Severus nodded, before continuing.

"I'm afraid we need to notify your Godfather right away, Potter. MacGonagall has already send him an owl, and we need to stop him from doing something stupid. Your dream was one thing, this is worse as you are directly affected."

"I agree," Regulus said. "We need to have a meeting tonight, and to decide what's going to happen. But I'm afraid Sirius won't want to listen."

"It's worth a try," Harry said, taking the mirror from Hermione's bag. "Alright, are you all ready? Sirius Black."

"Master Harry Potter, Sir!" Dobby squeaked in delight. "Does Master Harry need to speak with Master Sirius?"

"Yes, Dobby. Could you tell him this is urgent?"

"Dobby will hurry, Master Harry, Sir," the little elf told him, before disappearing promptly.

"'Sup pup?" Sirius asked a few minutes later, adjusting his bathrobe. "Dobby said it was urgent. Reg, Hermione. _Snape_. Did something happen?" he asked, observing them more carefully.

"Remember you said I might have to be careful this year?" Harry begun. "Well..." 

"Someone put Potter's name into the Goblet and he has to compete," Severus sharply, starling everyone in the room.

Regulus facepalmed.

"WHAT?"

* * *

Sirius had emerged from the floo and begun a shouting match with Professor Snape, and Harry was trying (and failing) to stop the two adults from fighting. Regulus had sunk into the sofa and was muttering to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose and giving desperate glances in the trio's direction from time to time. As for Hermione, she stood there, looking hopelessly at the scene happening in front of her and feeling extremely annoyed. Honestly, why did she always have to be the one resolving arguments between boys? Sighing, she took her wand and pointed it in the direction of the two enemies.

"ARRESTO MOMENTUM." Both men froze, and she glared at them before releasing the spell. "And don't you dare take out any points from Gryffindor, Professor. Were our positions reversed, however, I would gladly do that," she snapped. Snape scowled at her, and Sirius broke into hysterical laughter. "If you don't stop right now, Sirius Orion Black, you'll understand why Draco Malfoy had to go to the Hospital Wing last year after I punched him. Now," she said, looking at both men, and ignoring Sirius' questions ('How on _Earth_ do you know my middle name?' and 'Why would you want to ruin such a beautiful face, really?') "you two should be ashamed by your behavior. I don't care why you hate each other so much, you're here for Harry and that's all you should be focusing on. So, are you going to stop acting like first-years and help us decide on our next move?"

Professor Snape and Sirius looked at each other warily, before putting their wands away. Satisfied, Hermione put hers back into her holster.

"Is this not a Fifth-Year charm, miss Granger?" Professor Snape asked, while observing Sirius from the corner of his eyes.

"It is, sir, one of the last in the book," she replied carefully. "Harry and I trained a little during summer, and Regulus was nice enough to teach me the spells that interested me in next year's curriculum. We also covered some things in DADA, Potions and Transfiguration."

"... I see." He said, looking at Regulus who just shrugged. "Were Potter to train for his tasks, maybe you should join him as well. Just to observe, naturally."

"Naturally," she repeated.

"I think we better go help Harry," Regulus said, sounding a bit discouraged.

Hermione followed his eyes and saw that Sirius was now fussing all over her friend, who was glancing at them helplessly and trying to withdraw from his Godfather's embrace.

"Black, let the boy go," professor Snape shouted. "Miss Granger is right, we need to know decide on our next move. It's late, and I don't think Lupin or the Tonks will answer but it doesn't matter, you can brief them tomorrow. Now. There are three main things we should focus on. First is Potter's training. He is the youngest among all the participants and will be heavily disadvantaged in the Tournament. Someone," and Hermione saw that he was eying Regulus, "will have to help him with that. We also have to discover whether or not Karkaroff is trustworthy, but I'll take care of that as soon as I can. And finally, I think it's time we discuss the matter of Dumbledore."

"I'll take care of Harry's training," Regulus said. "We worked together during the summer, and I need to help him learn how to occlude his mind anyway."

Harry nodded, flashing him a small smile.

"Good," the Potion Master said. "What about the Headmaster? Last time we met, we said it was better that he did not now of Potter's vision. However, things have changed quickly, and we agreed that we would rethink our strategy if something happened. What do you think? And I'm asking you as well, Potter, Miss Granger. You're here, after all, you should be able to give your opinion."

"You already know what I think," Regulus said. "We tell Dumbledore just enough so that he can help us protect Harry. After what happened tonight, he has to suspect something. But we don't let him see him; and we don't tell him about our group."

"I don't trust him as much as before, but I know he is Voldemort's enemy. And he seemed very concerned, tonight. I think we should do as Regulus says," Harry added.

Regulus turned towards her, waiting for her opinion.

"I think you're right," she told him, "he may also ask the teachers to be cautious."

"Alright. How do you propose we tell Dumbledore?"

"Oh, I think I have an idea," professor Snape replied, smirking.

* * *

"You seem in a suspiciously good mood, Snape," Moody told him as he sat at the table. "Something to do with yesterday's event, maybe? Happy that your little plan to make Potter compete worked?"

"Don't be stupid, Moody," Severus replied acidly. "I told you already I had nothing to do with that."

"What's the occasion, then?"

"Exceptionally, I will confess that it _has_ something to do with what happened to Potter."

"If it is not the fact that he is a Champion, then what is it?"

"Well," Severus said as the doors of the Great Hall opened loudly, "Black has always been extremely predictable."

* * *

Dumbledore had stood up as soon as Sirius had crossed the doors, and had immediately tried to guide him away from the Great Hall. However, Sirius had not moved from his spot, and had begun shouting at the Headmaster for what had happened to Harry. Professor MacGonagall had followed him and, fortunately, put a silencing spell around them. Despite her precaution, anyone in the room could see how angry Sirius was, and that whatever Dumbledore said was not working. Finally, Sirius calmed down and began talking seriously to Dumbledore. The old man looked alarmed by whatever he had said and, this time, the black-haired man accepted to follow him out of the room.

"Snape seemed to enjoy himself immensely," Harry commented. "I think he was expecting something like that."

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "He can't really fight with Sirius anymore, but that does not mean he cannot make him fight with other people. I fear he's going to make a game of it, now. I hope Regulus will be able to make him stop. By the way, where is Ron?" she asked. "Is he still upset?"

"Yeah," Harry said bitterly. "I tried to speak to him this morning, but he turned to Neville and asked him about his Gran. I did not try again, after that. Nothing I say will make him change his mind. I suppose I'll just ignore him."

"That's weird, you know. Usually, it's me he doesn't want to speak to."

"Don't worry, that will happen sooner than you think."

"I hope not, I don't like it very much."

"I think Regulus is not happy by the situation either."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I saw him sharpening his claws on his bed, this morning, looking at him directly in the eyes."

"He did not like that, did he?"

"Not at all. And the worse is, he couldn't really do anything."

"I shouldn't, but I think it's funny."

"It totally is," Harry agreed. "Now, I'm imagining MacGonagall doing the same every time she's upset with Snape."

Hermione nearly chocked on her Pumpkin Juice.

* * *

"Severus, could you join me when you're done?" Dumbledore asked him.

Severus had been eating his dinner, extremely happy that no one had talked to him so far. Obviously, that wonderful moment could not last forever. He looked at the Headmaster, then at Moody who was eying them both, and nodded, sighing interiorly. The man nodded back and left the table. He should have known Dumbledore would want to see him after talking with Black. He would want to begin planning, and would ask him to go back to his Master when he rose again.

"Just so you know, Snape, I'll be there as well."

" _Obviously_ ," Severus said sourly.

"I don't know why Albus trusts you, but I don't. One mistake, Snape, and I'll have you back in Azkaban."

"I can't wait to see you try," he answered, before rising from his seat. This man had a gift to ruin his appetite; he would have to be careful not to lose too much weight because of that or Poppy would not let him hear the end of it.

"I'll see you in five, Snape," he heard Moody call after him.

Swearing quietly, Severus left the Great Hall, taking his time to get to the Headmaster's office. This was not a meeting he was looking for.

"Meow!"

Severus looked behind his elbow and saw that Regulus had caught up with him.

"Good, it's you. Dumbledore asked me to come after the dinner, I think he wants to speak to me about what he learned this morning."

"Meow."

"Do you realize I can't understand you?" Regulus glared at him. "Of course, you do. Go back to your little _mistress_ , some of us have a meeting to attend."

The cat left him as soon as he could, and Severus found himself alone once again. A few minutes later, he shouted the password to the Gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office and swiftly climbed the stairs.

"Ah, Severus, I did not expect you so soon," Dumbledore said, opening the door before he could knock.

"I wasn't hungry."

"A shame, really, I'm so happy the house-elves agreed to try new dishes from the homes of our champions. I quite liked this _Banitsa_." Severus did not answer. He did not have to; the Headmaster would not listen to him anyway. "I hope you don't mind, I asked Alastor to come as well. I want his opinion on something I learned this morning, and yours as well."

"Does it have anything to do with Black's little show?"

"Indeed."

"Then, I suppose you've learned something about the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore rose his head at the mention, surprised.

"How did you know?"

"Pure chance, Headmaster. But Black came here to speak about Potter, and we both know that what happened yesterday was no accident. The man knows something is going on, and asked you if you knew something. Then, you asked me to meet you here, and you told me Moody was coming. Black told you something you were not expecting, and you want us to help you. Hence, the Dark Lord."

"... As usual, Severus, I'm impressed by your powers of deduction," the Headmaster said.

"And I as well," a second voice – Moody's – said from behind them. "So, Albus, what is it that you learned?"

"I fear..." he begun, slowly, "that Voldemort is back."

"How could Black learn that?" Moody asked.

"Harry told him."

"What do you mean, he told him?"

"Apparently, he had a dream a few weeks ago, where he was Voldemort himself. He told Sirius about it, but apparently, he paid no attention to it until he learned that Harry had been proclaimed as a champion."

"And you believe him?"

"I have my reasons, but yes, I do. I already suspected that the child and Voldemort shared a connection, alas, I had no proof of it until recently."

"And you think the kid tells the truth?"

"I do. Had Sirius let me, I would have dig into the boy's mind and confirmed his theory, but I don't think I need this. We already knew things were changing after the Quidditch World Cup this summer. Now, it is time to act. Voldemort thinks no one knows he's back, and we have to take advantage of it."

"If he's back," Moody said, "why was your _spy_ not able to tell you first?"

"Because, Alastor, it seems that Voldemort is not as powerful as he once was. Sirius thinks he's onto something, and I fear it concerns Harry. Otherwise, the boy would have been left out of the Tournament."

"Do you really have no idea of what it is, Snape?"

"Of course not."

"Alastor, Severus knew nothing until a few minutes ago, I can guarantee it. Now, what do you propose?"

"We reform the Order," the ex-Auror answered. "And we bring new people in. We will need to train, and to find some allies inside the Ministry. He will have spies there."

"Yes, that's exacly what I was thinking. Severus?"

"We protect the boy. If what he experienced was real, then he needs to learn how to occlude."

"He will, but not now. We were really lucky to get that vision, Severus, and we need him to be able to get them again. Who knows how long it will take for Voldemort to come back? Maybe we will be able to learn more about where he is, or his plans."

"Albus, with all due respect..."

"Have you not heard what the Headmaster said, Snape? If he thinks this is the best thing to do, then you listen."

"Very good," Severus said, sitting back in his chair and looking directly at the older man. "But don't say I didn't warn you when it's too late."

* * *

"We need to talk, Ronald," Regulus said once the dorm was finally empty.

The red-headed turned away from him, rummaging through his bag.

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"No, not to me, but you owe Harry an apology."

"Do I really?"

"Yes. He's been your best friend for almost four years, now, and you're leaving him alone when he needs you the most."

"He's not alone," the boy spat. "He's got the entire school behind him."

"Do you really think he wants that, Ronald? No, that's what I thought. Tell me, do you remember your first conversation with Sirius, before the summer? You know, when you promised you would stay at his side? Well, now's the time you prove it. You're not stupid, Ronald, and you realize that Harry being in the Tournament is not a coincidence when it happens only a few weeks after we learned of the Dark Lord's return. Trust me, you don't have to be jealous of him. I, for sure, wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now."

And with that, he left the boy alone with his thoughts.

* * *

He had been extremely lucky that, two days after the Champions had been chosen, he had decided to go to the library, a strong Notice-Me-Not charm cast around him so that he would not be bothered. He had also been extremely lucky that, as he passed in front of two young Gryffindors who had apparently never heard of privacy wards, he had caught what they were saying and understood that they had a way to track everyone in the castle. Finally, he had been extremely lucky that the two boys had been stupid enough to leave their map unprotected, so that he had been able to steal it from them and alter it, totally unnoticed. 

* * *

Hermione had been searching the library for days, now, gathering everything that she could about house-elves. It was a tiring task, but she knew she had to do it. She had had several discussions with Regulus about their treatment in the Wizarding World, but she did not agree with him and had finally made up her mind one week ago. She would create an organization to help house-elves have decent living and working conditions. Dobby had been the beginning, but it was only her encounter with Winky that had made her aware of the problem. Wizards owned slaves, and it was perfectly legal. She was so engrossed by her work that she did not hear that someone had come near her, and it was only when she heard a small cough that she looked up from her book. Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion, was looking at her expectantly. 

"May I help you?" she asked politely, hoping that his usual group of giggling girls was nowhere nearby. She had seen them in action, and she did not intend to be their next target.

"You haff a lot of books," he said, a bit awkwardly.

"Yes," she answered. "I'm researching house-elves condition in the wizarding world."

"House-effes?"

"Yes. They are treated like slaves were in the Muggle World, only no one tried to free them. I want to do something against that."

He looked at her for a few seconds before finally saying something else.

"I like house-effes. Vant help?"

Well, she definitely did not see that happen.

* * *

"You're not going to believe what happened!" she told Regulus later that day. The cat eyed her, waiting for more details.

"Viktor Krum talked to me," she whispered, making sure that none of her roommates could hear her, "and he helped me with my researches on house-elves!" She was pretty sure that _this_ was the cat equivalent for rolling one's eyes. 

"Come on, he was really nice, you know? He told me about his elf, and how his mother fired him when he broke a teacup."

Regulus looked at her before beginning to lick his right paw.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Regulus?"

He looked at her again before rising from the bed and jumping on the floor.

"Oh, I see. You don't like the fact that I found someone interested by the elves' fate. And I thought you were mature. This is exactly how Ron would have reacted, you know?" she said, looking at him disappear through the door.

"Hermione, are you having an argument with your _cat_?" Parvati asked, astonished.

"That's sad," she heard Lavender whisper loudly, "she only has her cat to have an argument with. Do you think she'll ever have a boyfriend?"

Knowing that Lavender was baiting her, Hermione did not answer and decided that, exceptionally, she was allowed to go to bed before midnight.

* * *

"How was your day?" Regulus asked, when he saw the three teenagers enter the classroom.

"It was horrible," Harry said. "Colin came in Potions and told Snape I had to follow him, because all the champions had to pass some sort of test for or wands, and then I had an interview in a _cupboard_ and that reporter kept rephrasing everything I told her. She wrote that I had _'tears in my eyes'_ while thinking of my parents."

"What? Harry, why did you accept? You're a minor, she had no right to force you to give her an interview!"

"Well, she did not really ask for my opinion."

"Alright, remind me to talk to Sirius after we're done. He'll stop the article from being published. What about you, Ronald, Hermione?"

Hermione was still a bit cold towards him, but at least she had not stopped talking to him. Ronald, on the other hand, seemed to have listen to him and had redoubled his efforts to help his friend.

"It was alright, I think. Potions was a nightmare, as usual, but the rest of the day was nice," the boy said.

Hermione nodded distractedly, taking books from her bag.

"I read the books you recommended," she told him.

"Good, I would not have expected less from you."

He had not asked the boys to do the same, he knew very well that they were already trying to study more and he did not want them to be overwhelmed by work when they were not accustomed to it.

"So. Our first lesson will not be very long. For now, we are just going to focus on Elementary Occlumency. Once you master this, we will be able to move on the next level. Hermione, can you tell me what this is all about? With your own words," he added, remembering his promise to Severus.

"Well... Occlumency is a form of Magic that allows people to master their emotions, but also to be protected against Legilimency attacks."

"Indeed. The first step to master Occlumency is to be able to clear your mind of thoughts and emotions, which, I'm afraid to say, is going to be extremely difficult for you. It's no coincidence that Occlumency practitioner are mainly Slytherins or Pure-bloods. Since our childhood, we have learned how to shut down our emotions in public and thus, it's easier for us to learn it. You, on the other hand, are Gryffindors. You wear your emotions on your sleeve, and you are hot-headed – I'm sorry, boys, but you know this is the case, especially for you Ron – so I think we will have to work on that a lot before beginning to focus on Elementary Occlumency. Hermione, on the other hand, you are better at compartmentalizing your emotions, and you're usually the one keeping the boys from making mistakes. However, we will have to work on clearing your mind. So, I'm going to ask you to work on different things for now, and we'll see in a week how you progressed. Harry, Ron, I know you have daily encounters with Draco, and I know he likes to provoke you. I want you to stop fighting back."

"You can't be serious!" Ron shouted.

"I am. You've already learned to accept most of Severus remarks and this is a good start. Draco is the second step. Hermione," he continued, turning towards her, "I'm going to ask you to take a few minutes every night to try to clear your mind. It can be five, ten or more, I don't care, just try to practice regularly. I know there are different techniques of relaxation for that, so feel free to test all of them if you need it." Hermione nodded, apparently already trying to remember if she had read something on the subject. "I hope you won't be too disappointed, but that's all for tonight. Of course, if one of you wants some help for his or her homework, I don't mind staying longer."

Surprisingly, only Hermione did not move from her seat.

* * *

_Bloody peacocks!_ Severus thought as he crossed the gardens of Malfoy Manor.

The horrible birds were extremely territorial and were attacking him. Every time he held a party, Lucius refused to open the floo, so that the guests could admire the view around the manor when they arrived. Of course, no one liked it, but no one would dare say anything to Lord Malfoy either. Severus was the only one who tried on a regular basis, only to find his request dismissed by his host. Merlin, he hated the man. Finally, he spotted the entrance of the building and hurried towards the light made by the opened doors. Lucius and Narcissa were here, greeting their guests, and the owner of the house raised his eyebrows when he saw him.

"Severus," he said, "we weren't expecting you tonight. You refused every invitation we've send so far, what made you change your mind, old friend?"

"Moody appeared on my doorstep fifteen minutes ago and I needed an excuse to leave."

"Ah, I see. It's very unfortunate to know that he is teaching in the school. Draco told me his classes were a nightmare, worse than everything that oaf Hagrid does. Obviously, Dumbledore found no one else to teach once again, and had to choose someone dangerous. As if the werewolf had not been enough. I can't even begin to imagine what will happen next year. If only the old fool accepted your request to become the DADA teacher. But enough of that, Severus. You're here to forget your problems, not to be reminded of them. Please, follow the elf. We decided to host the party in the winter garden, tonight. Narcissa did wonderfully with the flowers, this year, we wanted everyone to benefit of her talent."

"Of course," he replied. "Will you be able to spare a few minutes of your precious time to discuss with me? We haven't been able to do so since you came back from the Quidditch World Cup."

Lucius must have understood what he meant, because he narrowed his eyes at him before nodding.

"Of course."

Satisfied, Severus left the couple and went to the garden, where most of the guests were being entertained by some classical band he did not know. Taking a petit four from one of the plates some unknown elf presented him, Severus found the darkest corner he could and waited for Lucius to arrive. Half an hour later, the blond finally appeared, a glass of champagne in the hand.

"Sorry, Severus, you know how those parties are. I had to talk with some people I'm in business with. The ambassador of China is here, and I'm hoping he'll accept the contract I've drafted."

Severus dismissed his concern with a wave of the end.

"I suppose you wanted to see me because of what happened in Hogwarts?" Lucius asked.

"Indeed. Potter being in the Tournament isn't pure luck, and I wondered if you knew anything about that. I failed to recognized the signs of _His_ come-back two times now, but that won't happen again. There's something going on, and I want to be part of it."

"What does the old man think?"

"He is aware that the situation is concerning but has no idea what it means. He suspects the Dark Lord, of course, but doesn't know what to expect."

"Alas, I have to admit that I don't have any more clues. You are right, something _is_ going on, but none of our friends know what this is all about. Of course, with the Dark Mark appearing this summer, I can only think of one thing, but I don't understand why none of us has been contacted if the Dark Lord is back."

"Maybe he is still too weak," Severus suggested. "After all, this was the case three years ago, and my Mark is beginning to show once again."

"Mine too," Lucius admitted, "but the color is still very pale, I wasn't sure there was a change until you gave me the confirmation. So, there is still hope."

"There is. But I fear He won't be happy with us."

"No, He won't. We only tried to find him after we learned that he had not died. Worst, you suspected Quirrell and tried to have him gone three years ago, and I lost something he entrusted with me."

"The Diary?"

"You know about it? Of course, you do, it was a dark artefact. Dumbledore asked you to take a look at it."

"Actually, he did not."

"Really? Then, it was more valuable than I previously thought," the blond said, looking slightly concerned. "At least, we still have what he gave to Bella."

"Is it well-secured?" Severus asked, hoping Lucius would give him a hint.

"It is. Narcissa verified as soon as I discovered the Diary had been lost to us."

"Good. Maybe He'll be lenient if He learns that."

"I doubt it, honestly. But I failed him, more than once, and I'm ready to pay the price for that."

"As I am," Severus replied.

* * *

She hadn't really seen Harry during the past few weeks, as he had been training really hard with Regulus in preparation for the first Task and had left a few days ago for Grimmauld Place. Surprisingly, Ron had helped her find some useful spells for him, and had even been able to learn what the champions would be facing.

Dragons.

So, here she was once again, doing researches in the library and hoping that she would be able to find something that might help her friend survive his encounter with a dragon version of Molly Weasley protecting her children. Huge difference between the two: one of them could breath real fire. But honestly, she would not want to face the Weasley Matriarch either.

"Dragons?" she heard someone ask from a shelf behind.

"Yes," she answered, recognizing Krum's voice. "You?"

"Dragons too," he replied, something akin to a smile playing on his lips. "Vant to share the books?"

"Alright," she said, indicating the small corner of the table that was not covered by her things. 

* * *

Remembering the relaxation techniques she had learned for Occlumency, Hermione followed Ron. They had just left Harry and she had been relieved to see him looking confident, because she totally wasn't. Luckily for her, Sirius had invited them to watch the First Task with him, and she was glad for that because she would feel less anxious if she knew he was next to her. They had just entered the box reserved for the guests of honor when she heard someone call them.

"Ron, Hermione!"

"Tonks!" she said, happy but surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"Sirius invited me, of course! I took a day off just to see Harry perform. Reg says that he's really good, I had to see that myself! Do you know what his secret performance will be?"

"I do, I was the one coming up with the solution."

Well, to be honest, she had taken advantage of someone else's idea, but that idea had not been related to the Task, so it was almost the same.

"Wow, I can't wait to see him, then. Has Sirius introduced you to his new _secretary_?" the older girl asked her with a secretive smile. "His name is _Réginald_ , and he his French."

"I know him already; we met for the first time this summer."

"Oooooh," Tonks replied. "I see. Well if you don't mind, I need to go back to my place. I was able to find a seat just next to Remus, and I don't want anyone else taking it," she added, winking.

Hermione observed her as she went next to the older man and sat, not realizing that she had put her foot on the sleeve of Remus' outer robes. Tonks was apparently trying to catch his attention but failing, and, after a few minutes, she gave up and began talking to Ron who was seated behind her. Regulus, who had been talking to his brother, waved in her direction, indicating the seat next to him.

"Crouch is coming back," he told her, "come seat down now."

She happily obliged, sinking in the comfortable seat. Being a VIP had its advantage.

"How was Harry?" he asked.

"Good. He seemed confident in his spell work. Should he really?" she asked him, trying not to sound too worried.

"Of course. You're not the only one who can learn fifth year spells, you know? Harry just doesn't make too much effort in his studies, even if he applying himself more this year. And if the first plan doesn't work, we worked on two other scenarios."

"Good. Because I don't like the look of that beast," she told him, looking at the dragon that had been brought into the arena.

In the end, the champions did well in Hermione's opinion. She had especially liked Viktor's attempt but, if someone asked her, she would say Harry had been the best of the four (and she wasn't even exaggerating, he had really been impressive). To be honest, all of the participant had been, and she had almost been enjoying herself until Harry stepped into the arena. She sincerely hoped Regulus would forgive her for almost crushing his hand.

"Harry, you were incredible!" she told him, as she and the rest of the group arrived into the tent.

"Yeah, mate, well done," Ron added.

"I'm so proud of you!" Sirius yelled, pulling him into a hug.

"I think the judges are giving the scores," Remus told them, pointing at the box where they had been until a few minutes ago. "Barty is giving you a ten? I wonder why."

"FOUR?" Ron shouted. "What on Earth is Karkaroff thinking? He gave Krum a ten! He's doing it on purpose!"

"It's alright," Harry said, "I'm just happy to be alive."

"We all are, Harry!" a feminine voice said. "And I'm sure the public is going to be _delighted_ to learn that you and young Mr. Krum share the same place!"

"Skeeter, I thought I asked you not to approach my ward?" Sirius growled.

"Oh, I do remember that, don't worry, but I think I respect the ten-meters distance you insisted I kept. You never mentioned I could not ask him questions," she responded, smiling widely. "Now Harry, tell me _e-very-thing_ about your fusional relationship with the man who sees you as a son, and the role he had in your training."

"OUT!"

* * *

Severus looked at his arm, observing the Mark that had been branded into his flesh. The lines seemed darker than the day before, and it was worrying. For months, the changes had been imperceptible, and suddenly the pattern was clearer than it had been in years. This wasn't good. He needed to talk to Karkaroff as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes:
> 
> Obviously, Snape just told Sirius to tell Dumbledore during breakfast, because he knew what would happen.
> 
> And I hope the way Barty modified the map was not too easy in your opinion! But hey, if only Harry and Ron had remembered the privacy wards. Hermione, where are you when we need you???
> 
> Another thing: in my story at least, the students from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang don't study in the castle, so it is possible that the trio did not really pay attention to the new names.
> 
> A new Tonks moment! Can you see something slowly building between those two (ok, more one-sided for the moment. GO TONKS!)
> 
> I'll try to publish next week, but I haven't been able to write anything in two weeks because I wasn't home, so if I can't write a new chapter this week I'll publish the next one in two weeks. Sorry for that * goes into hiding *
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	14. The Yule Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello!
> 
> So, my Muse is back and I've been able to write another chapter! However, I'm struggling a bit for year 5, and I'm trying to find a job, so I have less time for writing. I think I'll continue posting every two weeks for the moment. Sorry for that!
> 
> ___
> 
> I was watching a live from one of my favorite band, Gojira, and thought that the singer would be perfect for portraying Sirius. What do you think?? https://www.metal-archives.com/images/5/7/0/3/5703_artist.jpg?3656 
> 
> _____
> 
> BE CAREFUL: The small paragraphs are almost always from Barty's POV!
> 
> Krummbein

Karkaroff had not approached him since his arrival, but Severus was not surprised to see the man waiting for him at the end of the dinner. He too, must have seen the difference with his Mark. He left before Severus arrived and he followed him to the edges of the Forest, a few meters from Hagrid's hut.

"Severus."

"Igor."

The two men observed each other before relaxing imperceptibly.

"I suppose you know vhy I vanted to talk to you," the Durmstrang's Headmaster asked, looking slightly nervous.

"I suspect it has something to do with your Mark darkening."

"... Yes."

"Mine abruptly changed yesterday. Do you know why?"

"I vas hoping you could tell me, Severus."

"I can't, that's why I'm here. Are you sure you know nothing?"

"I am! Do you really think I vould risk contacting you vhile this _man_ is here, vatching us, if I knew vhat vas happening?"

"How could I know? Maybe you're the one who put Potter's name into the cup and you want to challenge my allegiance. Someone had to do it, and you're the prime suspect. I'm the second."

"Vhat does Potter have to do vith the Mark darkening? He's just Dumbledore's pawn, and the old fool only got him into the Tournament to improve his chances of vinning."

"Are you really that stupid, Igor, or are you just trying to deny the obvious? Dumbledore did not want Potter in. Someone else did that, and after what happened during summer and the Mark changing, I can guarantee you that the Dark Lord himself is trying to get the boy."

The man in front of him looked genuinely horrified.

"And you say Moody thinks I'm the one behind this? Do you really think I vould vant Him back?"

"You're a turncoat, Igor, I don't know what you want."

"A turncoat? You're a spy," he spat.

"His spy, Igor, His spy," Severus hissed, grabbing him by his collar. "And if you know something that can help me bring Him back, then I'll find it," he finished, forcing the man to look at him in the eyes.

"Legilimens."

Severus was frustrated, and Igor was no student, so he did not try to be gentle. It took him only a few minutes to find that the man had nothing to hide, only his intense fear from the Dark Lord's eventual return, so he withdrew from his mind.

"You should flee while you still can, Igor," he said, not looking at the pitiful man at his feet. "He will be back, and he won't be lenient with any of us."

* * *

"Karkaroff knew nothing," Severus said after he had sat on the chair that Regulus had saved for him. "And I couldn't get anything from Lucius either. No one knows what's happening, and I have no further lead for the Horcrux."

"I thought you mentioned Narcissa had checked on the artifact," his friend reminded him.

Merlin blesses Regulus for being here when he needed him.

"You're right. She might know what it is, and where it is hidden. At least, she knew it two years ago. And from what I gathered; it was as equally important as the Diary."

"How come she was the one to check?" Tonks asked, putting her butterbeer dangerously close to the end of the table. "From what you told us, Professor, Lucius does not involve her in the Death Eater business."

"Indeed," he said, suddenly feeling inspired. "That means only she has access to it."

"A family property?" Black suggested.

"Maybe," Lupin admitted, "but which family? Black or Malfoy?"

"I don't know any of the Lestrange's property, except the Manor," Black said.

"The Lestrange's vault," Tonks offered. "Bellatrix left hers to her sister while being in Azkaban, I learned that with Moody. Only Narcissa Malfoy can get in here."

"That may be what we're looking for," Regulus agreed. "Gringotts vaults are highly secured, it would be a good choice for something that important. Flamel did this for the stone. But if we can't get in here, how do we make sure this is where she keeps the artifact?"

Surprisingly, it was Black who came up with a solution.

"Ron's brother works for Gringott," he told them. "We might try to contact him and ask him if he can check the vault's content."

"Alright, but what do we tell the boy?" Severus asked. "We can't admit why we want him to do that; his family is known to be loyal to Dumbledore and he might go to him."

"Let us take some time to think about it," Regulus proposed. "In the meantime, I think the real question is: if Karkaroff is innocent, who put Harry's name into the cup?"

"It has to be someone from the outside," Black said furiously. "If it's not that pathetic excuse for a man, then it's one of his students."

"Why should it be them?" Regulus asked, sounding a bit annoyed. "You're only mentioning them because of their school's reputation. For all we know, it could be someone from the inside."

"You know why I said that, Reg. They study Dark Magic in Durmstrang."

"So, what, half of the Slytherins do the same thing."

"And see what happens. Death Eater, all of them."

Regulus looked offended.

"I think you should stop speaking right now, Black," Severus hissed, "or you'll have the displeasure to discover that we also _practiced_ Dark Magic."

"Why am I not surprised to hear that, Snivellus?" Black said mockingly, taking his wand out.

"Don't call me that."

"SIRIUS," Regulus said, this time angrily, "this isn't right and you know it!"

"I think I understand what Hermione meant when she told me about your last fight," Tonks said in a bored tone. "It's always us girls who have to resolve the conflicts. Remus, don't you have something to say? I see," she continued after the man had gone red and said something that sounded suspiciously like 'wellIdontknowreallymaybelateryouseemtohandlethatwell'. "I think we can all agree that there is a huge prejudice against Slytherin, and we shouldn't let that influence ourselves. After all, two of our members are Slytherins. Ex-Death Eaters or something like that, yes, but still. It's thanks to Regulus that we know of the Horcruxes, and Professor Snape did a great job too. So, Sirius, maybe someone from one of the delegations did something, you're right. But that might also be someone that we cannot suspect at all. Or someone that came to Hogwarts once and that no one saw. I've heard there were a lot of secret passages throughout the castle, maybe one of them leads out of Hogwarts?"

Black and Lupin exchanged a glance.

"There's one, yes," the werewolf admitted quietly. "It goes to Hogsmeade."

"There, you see?" Tonks asked. "I think whoever did this did not stay in the castle, he or she only saw an opportunity and took it."

"Maybe," Black conceded. "That doesn't change the fact that we don't know who it was, and if he or she is going to act again and when. Nothing happened during the First Task, and that worries me."

"I know you won't like that, but I think we should trust Moody. Now that he knows something is going on, he will do everything he can to find who is behind it, Harry won't be in danger for long," Tonks said.

"How can you be so sure when he's participating in the Tournament?" Sirius asked, annoyed. "Moody, or even Dumbledore, can't protect him all the time!"

"Alastor wants him, as well as the other participants, monitored, so that if something happens, they'll know and will be able to immediately be at their side."

"Why do they want the other participants to be monitored as well?" Lupin asked, surprised.

"I think it has something to do with the next Task, they won't be able to see them properly from what he told me."

"Great," Black spat, "just what I needed to hear."

"I suppose it will have to be enough," Severus finally said. "I don't know what else we can do to help the boy."

"Find the solution to that blasted enigma," Black retorted. "Harry is stubborn and doesn't want anyone's help, but if he hasn't found anything by January, we'll have to step in."

"I agree," Tonks told him. "We already have a clue: he will be somewhere where we can't see him, at least partially."

"That's not a lot," Lupin said, "we'll have to try to get our hands on that egg."

"I'll take care of that," Regulus told them. "But I think we should let him try by himself."

"Agreed," Severus said. "Potter needs to use his brain from time to time."

"Do. Not. Move," Tonks hissed, wand pointed on Black, who had jumped from his seat. "Thanks. I have also been thinking, shouldn't we try to find exactly where Voldemort is? Harry said two teenagers were murdered, don't you think it would be easy for us to find the story in some local newspaper?"

"Dumbledore is already doing that," Severus revealed.

"Really?" Black asked, surprised. "Well, maybe it was a good thing to tell him what we knew," he admitted. "Now, do we have anything else to discuss?"

Tonks cleared her throat, smiling widely at the man.

"I have been wondering since this morning, cousin. What exactly have you done to Rita Skeeter? I thought she was going to write an article on the Tournament, but it was shorter than what I expected. However, she dedicated three pages to your summer holidays. Did you really try to imitate the mating dance of an Erumpent?"

Severus sniggered.

* * *

"Ron."

"..."

"Ron."

"..."

"Ronald Weasley!"

"What?" the redheaded asked, finally looking up from his Quidditch magazine.

"Don't you think Harry is acting strangely?"

"What do you mean, strangely?"

"I don't know," Hermione said. "But he always seems to be in deep thoughts lately."

"Well, he's been trying to find out the clue of this egg, that's all" Ron shrugged. "He doesn't want help, for now, says he'll get it in no time."

"He also blushes a lot."

"So, what? Maybe he's too hot?"

"Ron, it's December."

"The common room is well heated."

"Professor Snape's classroom isn't."

"Alright, what do you think is happening to him, then?" Ron asked, putting his magazine away.

"I think he's got a crush on someone."

"What?"

"Yes!"

"Not possible. He would have told me."

"How can you even know?" Hermione asked.

"I'm his best mate, he tells me everything!"

"And Harry is a very private boy," she told him. "Maybe he wants to keep the secret for now."

"I don't get why," Ron finally said. "Should I ask him who it is?"

"Noooo, it's just a suspicion anyway!"

"Can I get to tease him, at least?"

"... I don't know, I feel like it's Sirius prerogative."

"True. So, what do we do?"

"Nothing, unless he asks us for help."

"Alright. But really, I don't see what's so nice about liking someone," Ron said.

Hermione hastily turned away to hide her own blush.

* * *

"What are you reading?" Regulus asked her after the boys had left the classroom. They had had their weekly update on Occlumency practice, and he had been happy to see that both of them had tried to follow his advice. There had been some accidents, of course, but their behavior had improved, and Severus had told him that the other teachers were beginning to notice it.

"Oh, a book professor Moody gave me a few days ago. He heard about S.P.E.W and wondered if I knew anything about mermaids. Did you know there was a village in the Great Lake? He told me that, if I could master the Bubble-Head Charm, I might be able to go into the water and see them."

"They come outside of the Slytherin's common room from time to time," Regulus told her. "We have a nice view of the Lake, I always liked it. How are classes with Moody, nowadays? Are you still disapproving of his teaching methods?"

"Well, not since Sirius talked to Dumbledore about Harry being imperiused. He's still grumbling from time to time that this was a good exercise, but I'm glad it stopped. But now, it really is fascinating. We had never dueled before, and I think it's good that we can practice with him. We're terrible, to be honest. Only Harry is able to defend himself correctly, and Moody even told him he might want to try being an Auror after Hogwarts. And I've been able to discuss with him a few times after classes, he gave me some advice and even recommended some books I could read if I wanted some extra-credits. He said he liked my essays," she added, proudly.

"That's good, then," Regulus said, smiling. "I'm glad he stopped doing anything dangerous to the students. Now, I think we should leave, it's almost curfew."

"You're right. Are you coming back to the Tower?"

"No, I need to talk to Severus about your progress. He's a way better Occlumens, and I need his advice on how to proceed now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Regulus."

"Good night, Hermione."

* * *

She really was something, his little Mudblood. So fierce, so passionate, so Gryffindor. He had been able to talk to her a few times since he had arrived, and he had been impressed by intelligence and her display of Magic. She was utterly brilliant. A girl like her should not be possible, he knew, and yet here she was. His exception.

* * *

"But why did you say that, Hermione?" Ron asked angrily. "You knew they were not going to react well."

"I had to ask them!" she answered defensively. "They did it because they don't understand yet that they are exploited. Once they get that, it will be alright."

"And how do you propose to do that? They won't let you come back!"

"Of course, they will. Some of them must have been interested in what I said."

"I think you did not look at them properly, Hermione. They were furious."

"They were not! And if I can't get back in the kitchens, I'll ask Dobby to go talk to them."

"Don't involve my elf, please Hermione!" Harry, who had been quiet since the beginning of the argument, begged.

She did not answer and focused once again on Professor McGonagall, who was writing on the board what their next lesson would be. Harry and Ron were now speaking quietly between each other, glancing in her direction from time to time. This morning, they had accepted her request to show her where the kitchens were, and she had hoped her trip would be successful. However, the elves had not been very receptive to her comments about slavery and had kicked them out of their working space. Since then, Ron had been complaining that he would not be able to go to the kitchens anymore, while Harry had not dared enter the conversation. Hermione had had a hard time focusing correctly on the lesson, and she felt extremely irritated.

"Potter! Weasley! Will you stop whispering?" Professor McGonagall shouted.

Both boys immediately stopped and the Transfiguration teacher continued.

"Now that everyone is paying attention, there is something I need to tell you. The Triwizard Tournament is not only a friendly competition between schools, but also a good opportunity for us to get to know each other and to learn more about our guests. Hence, it was decided during the creation of the Tournament that a Yule Ball would be hosted, and we at Hogwarts are extremely proud to organize it this year. The Ball will be open only to the students above Fourth years, but of course you may invite someone younger if you wish to do so."

Hermione – and apparently professor McGonagall – ignored Parvati and Lavender that had begun giggling and were now looking in Harry's direction.

"Of course, you will be expected to be on your best behavior," the professor continued. "And I hope you will make our House proud. I will not tolerate anything else from you. In addition, but I think you suspected that already, students will be asked to wear dress robes. That will be all for now. If you have any questions, please feel free to come to me after class."

The bell rang, and professor McGonagall dismissed the students.

"Potter," she said, before the trio left. "Would you mind staying a few more minutes? There is something we need to discuss."

Hermione and Ron left the class and waited for him in the corridor. Harry reappeared a few minutes later, looking grey.

"What did she say, Harry?" Ron asked, concerned.

"Partners."

"What?"

"I need a dance partner. And dance lessons."

"Well," Hermione said, "I think we know someone who might help you with the second part of your problem."

* * *

"Um."

Viktor had seemed extremely anxious when he had joined her this evening, and he had not stopped clearing his throat since he had arrived. It was extremely annoying.

"Yes?" she said, hoping he would finally tell her what his problem was.

"Haff you heard of the ball?" he asked, his voice a little higher than usual.

"Yes, professor McGonagall mentioned it this morning. Poor Harry is terrified because the champions need to have a partner for the opening."

"Yes. They haff."

He was looking at her expectantly, but she could not understand why. Was she supposed to help him find a dance partner too?

"So, um, I vas vondering if maybe, you vould accept to go vith me?" he asked finally, realizing that she would not get it.

Hermione had always liked learning new things. That day, she discovered that shock could make her voiceless for a good minute.

* * *

Harry had come to him two weeks ago, looking as if his life was going to end, and asked him if he could give him some dance lessons. Regulus had immediately agreed – after all, who else could help him? – and had offered his skills to the other two. Hermione had jumped on the occasion, and Ronald had reluctantly accepted. So here he was, in what they had decided was their room, trying to get the two boys to stop hurting Hermione's feet for the fifth time already. The Ball was only a few days away now, and Regulus was getting more and more desperate at Ronald's attempts to dance.

"No, Ronald, no. You're supposed to be the one leading, don't look at Hermione as if she is supposed to show you what to do. Here, come Hermione, let's show him once again. See?" he asked the red-headed boy, putting his hand softly on Hermione's back and guiding her effortlessly, following the music. "That's how you do it. You cannot be stiff; dancing is all about being graceful. Alright, Harry, time for you to try again."

He wasn't so bad, Regulus decided, once he remembered the steps. Being with Hermione helped, for sure, and Regulus hoped the boy wouldn't lose his confidence with his date.

"Alright, that was better. Boys, you're going to practice together."

"Why can't we practice with Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I want to practice some new moves," Hermione answered. "I already know more than the basics and I want to improve."

"But... What for? We're the ones who need to improve, we both have dates!" Ronald said.

"And I need to improve for my date as well, he had dance lessons and is far better than I am."

Both boys looked astonished by the revelation, as if they had not thought Hermione could get a date for the Yule Ball. Regulus had to admit, he hadn't thought of that either.

"But... But... Who would ask you?" Ronald stammered. "I mean, don't take it wrong, Hermione, but you're... you're _you_!"

"Thank you, Ronald," she answered drily. "However, it seems that someone thought me being myself was good enough."

"You can't be serious! Who is it, then?"

"I won't tell you."

"Please, you don't have to lie just so that we don't make fun of you," he retorted. "It's alright if you don't have a date. Plenty of people don't."

"I do have a date, Ronald, I just don't want you to know who it is!"

"Ron," Harry finally said, "why don't you leave her alone? If she has a date, then we'll see who it is in just a few days."

"But she's lying! She can't have a date and not tell us who it is!"

"SHE CAN," Hermione yelled, before taking her wand out. "And if you don't stop asking me, you'll see that she can also jinx you so badly that even Mrs. Pomfrey won't be able to heal you in time for the Ball!"

"Alright, alright, why don't we call it a night for you, boys? Hermione and I will continue practicing a bit longer," Regulus suggested.

"Thank you," she said after the duo had left, "Ronald can be so infuriating sometimes."

"You're lucky you didn't know Sirius when he was younger," he told her, playing with a strand of his hairs. He would have to cut them, he thought, they were a bit too long now. "Sooooo," he said, trying to sound perfectly normal. "Who's the lucky boy?"

Hermione blushed, before looking at the door and locking it.

"Promise you won't tell them?"

"I promise."

She smiled.

"Good. It's... Viktor Krum!"

"What?!" he said, horrified.

"I know!" she replied, apparently oblivious to his reaction and blushing harder. "I can't believe it either!"

"But... But... He's from Durmstrang!"

"So?" she asked.

"He's Harry's enemy."

"Well, the Tournament is also about international friendship. We've been working together for a while, and we've become some kind of friends, I guess."

"But he's not even good-looking!" Regulus tried, hoping she would finally understand that she could not go on a date with him. She just couldn't.

"I thought you were here when I told Lavender that it was not what I focused on," she retorted, sounding angry once again. "What's wrong with you boys today? Can't you be happy that someone has finally discovered that I was a girl?" she shouted, before quickly undoing her charms on the door and leaving.

Women, Regulus decided as he changed back to Crookshanks, were definitely extremely difficult to understand. Maybe he would have to accept to let his brother give him The Talk that was supposed to help him figure out how they worked.

* * *

Hermione was awakened by Lavender's screams. Still half asleep, it took her a few minutes to remember the date.

Christmas.

Pushing away her blankets, she joined her roommates on the floor and happily took the first box on the huge pile of presents that had appeared overnight. Red wrapping paper, rectangular shape. Harry, a book. Not able to contain herself she opened it, ecstatic to discover a French edition of Beauxbatons, l'Histoire d'une École à la Française. Harry was already forgiven for his next mistake. Humming happily, she did her best to open her presents in record time and found herself, less than ten minutes later, facing two small packages that she had seen earlier but not dared to touch. The first one, and the Slytherin green gave it away, was from Regulus. They had had a fight a few days earlier, and she was still angry with him. To be honest, she was still angry with Ron, but it had not stopped her from opening his present (Sugar Quills, her favorite flavor). But she could deal with a childish Ron. However, she did not know how to handle a childish Regulus. The second package was wrapped in a beautiful deep-blue silky paper, and she knew who it was from, given that she had already opened all of her family's and friends' presents apart from Regulus'.

Viktor Krum.

She was glad she had gotten him something as well.

"Why are you hesitating?" Lavender suddenly asked in her most annoying voice. "Don't you want to open them? Or don't you want us to be here? You think you might have a secret admirer?"

Trying not to show her discomfort, Hermione took Regulus' present and unfolded the paper slowly, hoping he had not bought her something too showy or embarrassing (Sirius' present had been a new yearly organizer with pictures of men wearing little or no clothes at all, and winking at her every time she looked at them. She rather hoped it was a joke.). However, she was glad to discover that Regulus had better taste than that when she noticed a silver chain with an oval pendant within the small box she had opened. Five gemstones were set into the locket, and she recognized them immediately: one sapphire, one opal, two rubies and one yellow sapphire. Merlin... Only Regulus would use acrostic jewelry to tell her he was sorry. Still trying to figure out whether she found it cute or not (was she supposed to accept a present that costed her parents annual holiday budget?), she opened the pendant and discovered that, on one face, a bouquet of hyacinths had been engraved, and purple gemstones had been added. Okay, that was totally cute. Ignoring Lavender and Parvati comments on her new piece of jewelry, Hermione took her necklace and fastened it quickly around her neck, before summoning her mirror. Quite happy with the result, she decided that it was time to open her last present, and took it from the ground. The box was extremely light, and she wondered what Viktor could have gotten her. They had mostly talked about their studies, and she had not told him a lot of things about herself.

"Open it, open it!" Parvati told her excitedly.

Gathering her courage, she opened the box and was surprised to discover a wrist corsage – something she thought only Americans knew about – bearing three flowers: dahlia, hibiscus and a purple iris.

"Oooooh," Lavender said, "someone is trying to compliment you, I think! Who is it?"

"My date for the ball," Hermione answered flatly, wondering if he knew what the flowers meant. Wait, of course he must have known, he was a wizard and even Lavender had been able to guess the significance.

"You have a date?" she asked in disbelief, and Hermione was suddenly reminded of another painful conversation.

"I have. Now, if you don't mind, I need to hurry or Harry and Ron will be waiting for me," she said, before going to the bathroom. Less than thirty minutes later, she left her dorm looking slightly more alive and joined her boys in the common room, where Harry practically jumped on her with a letter in his hand.

"HERMIONE, I NEED YOUR HELP! Dudley wrote me a letter! What should I do?" he asked, completely frantic.

"First, relax," she said, trying to calm her heart furiously pounding in her chest. Eight in the morning was way too early for such an exuberant welcome. "What does the letter say, exactly?"

"It's confusing for the most part," Harry said, "but I think what he means to say is that what happened this summer made him realize things, and he wants me to forgive him for what he did to me."

"Really?" She asked. "Can I read it?"

Harry gave him the letter, and she sat on the nearest chair. Ronald did the same, taking a small cake his mother must have sent from his pocket.

Gross.

Avoiding looking at Ron's terrible display of bad manners, she began reading.

_Dear c ~~ou~~ s Harry,_

_I asked the lady with the cats who knows you better and she said she will give you the letter. Mum and dad are not happy that I talked to her but apparently she is of your kind and she says she knows where you live with that uncle who came last time to take you with him. I thought he was a murderer, but she says he isn't? Mum thinks he is bad and says he did some prison. I don't know if this is right, but he was scary when he took you to his house. Dad is very happy to know you will never come back, but I think mum misses you, I saw her clean your cupboard yesterday. She asked me to sort out my video games but I kept one for you, I will give it to that woman to take with the letter so that you can play for Christmas. I didn't like what your uncle said last time, and I think maybe I should not have tried to drown you in the toilets or to punch you. Maybe you can come home and play on the computer with me if you don't have one, I've got a new game and I like it. I think you will like it too, there is a boy wearing glasses._

_Dudley_

_Ps: Happy Christmas_

Trying not to wince every time she saw an error (there were so many it might give her early wrinkles), she took her time to analyze the meaning of every sentence she read, before finally looking up at Harry.

"I think you are right, Harry. If I understand correctly, he thinks bullying you was wrong and is inviting you to play with him on his computer. Maybe you could write back and send him a present as well? I'm sure we can find something he can like."

"Candies," Ron said, "everyone likes candies."

"I think we should select the candies," Harry said, "but it might work. However, I'm not sure he will trust me enough to eat them."

"Maybe something from the Joke Shop? Or just anything that might look magical?"

"Yeah, I'll ask the twins, I think. So. Do you think I can bully Sirius into buying me a computer? I still have that picture of him from last summer where he tried to imitate the Erumpent mating dance to seduce a girl."

* * *

He had known she was beautiful, but what he was seeing was beyond anything he could ever have imagined. The way she stood, the way she smiled, the way she talked, she was a completely different person. She was a moon glowing on a dark night, a rose growing amongst the weeds, a rough diamond just waiting to be polished. She was a Queen, and he would make her his.

* * *

Hermione was having the time of her life. Never in her wildest dreams had she been able to imagine a night like this one, never. And yet here she was, dancing with an international Quidditch player, and enjoying her evening immensely.

She felt bad admitting it, but she had also enjoyed watching everyone's face as they understood who the mysterious girl on Krum's arm was. Malfoy's reaction had particularly pleased her, and she had loved the look of disbelief painted on Pansy's face. Ron had not seemed to believe what he was seeing either, but at least Harry had looked happy for her, and they had discussed a bit while waiting for the doors to open. He had seemed comfortable enough, but he had spent his time sending pitiful glances in Cedric Diggory's and Cho Chang's direction, and she was almost sure the Ravenclaw was the girl he had wanted to take to the Ball.

Once seated, she had been happy to discover that Viktor – once he felt at ease – could say more than two sentences in a row, and they had talked a lot during the dinner. She knew Karkaroff – and half of the castle – had been watching them closely, but she had not cared. Tonight was her night, and she would not let them spoil it, thank you very much. 

In her opinion, the best part of the evening had been the dancing. Viktor was a very good dancer, and she had been glad she practiced a bit with Regulus, even if she had not gotten to the more complicated moves. They had stayed on the dance floor for a while, and even Ron's bad temper had not weakened her good mood.

That night, after Viktor had bid her goodbye (and kissed her hand, like a real gentleman!), she thought that, maybe, the rest of the year was not going to be so bad.

* * *

Regulus had gotten back just in time for the end of the Ball, and what he saw nearly made him choke on a hairball. Later, when thinking of the scene, he would not be able to remember whether it was the way Hermione looked, so more beautiful than she usually was; or the fact that she was dancing with that oaf Krum too closely to his liking, and that whatever he was telling her made her blush and smile at the same time. That night, he also understood that feelings were not something you could control, and that love could hurt deeply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You wanted some jaleousy? Here it is finally! 
> 
> Poor Regulus just understood his feelings, how long do you think it will take him to talk to Hermione?
> 
> I did a lot of researches for this chapter (and discovered some interessting facts) about the Victorian Era and symbolisms. 
> 
> Acrostic jewelry was apparently used to relay secret messages with gemstones (I'm not really sure it worked if everyone else knew about the stones, but well). To understand what the message was, you had to take the first letter of each gemstone. Here is a link (https://jewellerydiscovery.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/EA-302-REGARD-DEAREST-Earrings_large.jpg) to the earrings that inspired my pendant. I did not want to use a heart shape, however, too much meaning.
> 
> Flower language is also something I tried to learn more about, and I discovered that there were a lot of flower dictionnaries. But, because I couldn't find any reliable source, I decided to trust wikipedia. Here is the meaning of the flowers Viktor gave to Hermione:
> 
> Dahlia: elegance; dignity  
> Hibiscus: rare; delicate beauty  
> Iris (purple): wisdom; compliment
> 
> I think it fits!
> 
> See you in two weeks ;)  
> Krummbein


	15. The Second Task

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRIIIIISE!
> 
> Today is my birthday, so I thought you could use the extra-chapter ;)
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy it :)

Severus hated being forced to do that. His pride was at risk, but what other choice did he have? He couldn't wait for the Dark Lord to come back so that he could run to him and hide, really. And he wouldn't be able to survive another day like that. Taking the floo powder on the pot next to the chimney, he threw it in the fireplace and kneeled.

"12, Grimmauld place! Black. BLACK, COME HERE RIGHT NOW!"

There was a noise coming from upstairs and, a few minutes later, the man he hated more than himself appeared.

"What do you want, Snape? I'm expecting company soon."

"Whoever it is will have to wait, Black, you have to come to my rooms right now."

"What happened?" the man asked, alarmed. "Is Harry in danger?"

"Frankly, I'm wondering if that would not be better," Severus muttered darkly, remembering the sad sight waiting for him in his kitchen. "No, your fucking brother is being stupid and has been brooding for twenty-four hours in my chambers. Come and take him with you, and for Circe's sake, tell him that the world is not going to end because of a silly little crush on a girl who only sees him as a friend."

"Oh," Black said, eyes suddenly sparkling, "he finally realized?"

"Realized? You mean, you knew it too?"

"Of course, how could I not when he was being so obvious? Harry and I had a bet going on since the Quidditch Cup!"

"I'm delighted to know that," Severus said dryly. "Now, are you coming through to get him or at least, talk to him? He hasn't stopped sighing since he arrived, and he hasn't eaten more than a handful of fruits. Berries. He hates berries."

"Hermione likes them. That's cute."

"I think I might throw up," Severus said, curling his lips in disgust.

"Come on, Snape, my baby brother is in love, isn't it wonderful?"

"Not when he is in my rooms, depressed, just because he saw Granger having a nice evening with her date."

"Who?"

"Krum."

"Oh. I see."

"Wonderful. Now, come."

"Alright alright," the man finally said. "Step aside, I'm here in five minutes."

Satisfied, Severus pulled out from the fireplace and waited for Black to arrive.

"So," Black said when he had arrived, "where is he?"

"In the kitchen area, I told him he couldn't leave until he had eaten something. He wouldn't leave me alone and couldn't stop complaining about Granger."

"That bad?"

"Worse."

Black nodded, and entered the kitchen.

"Baby brother, what's up?" the man said, a little bit too cheerfully.

Regulus looked up from the porridge he had been poking at and sighed, before going back to his breakfast.

"Nothing," he drawled.

"Don't lie to me, Reg', you look like James when Lily rejected him too harshly."

Severus tried to ignore the tearing pain in his chest and hastily looked away.

"She doesn't like me anymore," Regulus finally said.

"Of course, she likes you," Black cajoled. "You've practically been attached to the hip this summer, and Harry tells me you work together all the time."

"Yeah, but we had a fight," he said, desperate. "First about the elves, and then about that idiot. Now she's with him. My life is over," he concluded.

"Krum? That's temporary," Black brushed aside. "Quidditch star and all, he'll forget her as soon as he is back home."

"What if he doesn't? You haven't seen her at the Ball, no one would be stupid enough to let her go."

"Nonsense," his brother said. "Krum leaves the country in June. In the meantime, she still considers you as her friend, so don't let that silly pride of yours ruin your friendship. Apologize for what you did, and act as if everything was fine. Now, come home with me until the end of the Winter break and leave that poor friend of yours alone."

The Black brothers left the kitchen and Severus sat on an empty chair, looking blankly at the bowl of porridge Regulus had left.

_Lily_.

* * *

There was something in his mind, something that should not have been here. He could feel it, now, and feel the radiating anger coming from it. It was something unstable, something he did not want to come inside him, and he tried to push it back, push it away from his mind, and hastily erected around it the barriers that he had begun working on lately.

The feeling was still here, however, increasing quickly, and already breaking through the defenses he had hoped could help him protect his thoughts and memories. He panicked. It was his mind; he did not want that invading such a private place without giving his approval.

But the obstacles he had laid on did not resist and crumbled around him, allowing the foreign feeling to invade his mind, and he was swept away by the wave that had finally breached through his defenses.

* * *

He was livid. Turning away his head from Nagini, who had begun eating the man that had dared disturb him, he tried to calm down. Dumbledore knew. Somehow, the old bastard had decided that suspecting something was wrong was not enough, and found a way to discover where he was hiding. That would not do at all. Without the help of the old gardener and his beloved Nagini, he would have been found, and who knew what could have happened to him then? He could not stay here. Waving at the old Muggle, he ordered him to immediately send an owl to his follower.

* * *

"What's wrong with him, sir?" Weasley asked, worried, making him strangely more quiet than usual.

Severus had been called very early by Mrs. Pomfrey, who had had difficulties to heal one of her patients. The boy had apparently gone into a coma during the night, and she had not been able to wake him up. Weasley and Granger had been there, and Severus had instantly understood that, once again, trouble had found its way to Potter.

"It seems that Mr. Potter was the victim of a legilimency attack while he was sleeping," he said, carefully choosing his words. "His defenses were too weak, and the attack brutal, so he did the only thing that he could at the moment: he shut down his body to protect himself."

"An attack, but...? Oh!" Granger said, apparently understanding what had happened. "We need to call Sirius right now!"

"There's no need for that, Miss. Granger," a voice coming from the doors answered. Merlin's beard, Severus thought. How was the old fool always able to know what was going on inside of the castle? "I will take care of Mr. Potter myself; we don't want to worry Mr. Black for nothing."

Old bastard, you're only trying to see if the Dark Lord was behind the attack.

"Headmaster, Potter shut down because of an legilimency attack. How do you propose to help him? I am the expert in Occlumency, and I can tell you that if you try to enter his mind, it will only worsen things."

"What do you have in mind, then, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, smiling annoyingly at him.

"Judging by his reaction to the attack, the boy learned how to occlude his mind. We need him to understand that he is no longer in danger, and that's why we need to send someone he knows and trusts with legilimency. Find whoever trained him, and ask that person to go into his mind and to help him come back to us."

"That seems reasonable," Mrs. Pomfrey said out loud. "But how can we contact that person?"

"Easy," Severus told her. "We ask Black."

* * *

Regulus had been extremely nervous during the entire operation. Firstly, because it was Harry, and because he was not an expert in legilimency. Secondly, because Dumbledore had been there the entire time, looking at him as if he was trying to solve a particularly hard mystery. Now, looking at the boy finally awake, he felt slightly better. At least, he felt better until Harry began describing what had happened to him.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, alarmed, after he had finished his story. "Can you tell me more about the man that died?"

"Don't try to fool any of us by pretending you don't know who it was, Dumbledore," Severus said, irritated. "You were the one who sent him there in the first place after you discovered where the two teenagers died. Had you consulted me; I would have told you it was too risky. Of course, the Dark Lord would know of an intrusion. He appears to be weak, yes, but you knew he had killed two teenagers already and was able to control an old Muggle. He is weak considering his usual standards, but that does not mean he cannot do anything."

"Alastor trusted Dedalus," the Headmaster finally said quietly. "He was the best fighter available."

"Diggle was like Moody: good, but fifteen years ago. Sending the man there, alone was a mistake; I hope you realize that." The Headmaster did not answer, and Severus continued. "Now, we are extremely lucky that Black decided to hire Mr. Lacroix here. Had Potter not known the basics of Occlumency, the damages could have been terrible, because he wouldn't have known how to react properly."

"I'd like to understand how all of this is possible," Sirius said, irritated. "Why does my Godson share a connection with Voldemort? And how do we stop it?"

"We can only guess," Dumbledore hazarded, looking at Harry. "I don't think there is a way for us to be certain of what is happening."

Regulus saw Severus glance at the old man, before looking briefly at Sirius and the three teenagers. However, he said nothing, and Regulus supposed he did not want to speak in front of the Headmaster. Sirius must have caught him too, because he shrugged and asked:

"Mrs. Pomfrey, could I take my boy home?"

The matron looked at him sharply.

"If he seems to be alright, I might give him permission to go and rest with you. But, as I haven't been able to check on him yet, I can't tell."

Everyone immediately stepped out from the angry woman, and Regulus went to his brother.

"I'm going back home," he said quietly. "I'll call a meeting for tonight."

Sirius nodded, before returning as close as he could from his Godson's side, and Regulus left.

* * *

For the first time in a while, Ted and Andromeda had been able to come to the meeting. Had the situation not been so critical, Regulus might have been happy to see them. However, remembering what had happened earlier, he had only exchanged greetings with the couple, before immediately returning to Severus' side. Sirius was pacing nervously next to the kitchen table, and only stopped when Lupin finally arrived. The man joined them, and Severus waited for everyone to be seated before he began.

"There has been some development since we last saw each other. Last night, despite Regulus' attempts to teach him Occlumency, Potter was the victim of a legilimency attack made by the Dark Lord. The only good news we have is that the attack was involuntary, and only triggered because He was angry. Potter unconsciously tried to stop him from entering his mind but he was not trained enough, and his body reacted badly to the attack. Luckily for us, the boy had enough knowledge not to be hurt, but the situation is still extremely concerning. Another thing we learned, and whatever Dumbledore says, is that this attack proves the one thing I suspected since the first one: the boy and the Dark Lord share a connection, and I fear it is deeper than what I could first imagine."

No one dared to speak, and Andromeda let out a shaky breath.

"As I said before," he continued, "I can only try to find out what the connection is, and how it came to be, once Potter is able to guard his thoughts. However, because of some... recent developments, Mr. Potter has not had a lot of time to learn Occlumency. I had hoped he would be able to have solid bases by the end of this year, but now it seems that we will have to wait a few more months before I am able to look into it more closely. I suspect, and again, I already said that, that it has something to do with the scar the Dark Lord left on his forehead. I have never heard of such a thing, and haven't yet been able to find anything on the matter, so if any of you has a suggestion, you may share it."

"When you say 'connection'," Andromeda asked, "what do you mean by that?"

"The first time we learned of the connection, Mr. Potter not only saw through the Dark Lord's eyes, but also literally felt and thought exactly the same things. He was not a simple observer, and it seems that he had no conscience of his real self. In other words, he was the Dark Lord, even if we know that this was not the case."

"And he was asleep?"

"Yes," Regulus confirmed. "And he was also in his bed."

"Alright. And the second time?"

"From what I gathered, he felt an unknown presence in his mind, but it was not trying to breach through his defenses. It was already there, only he thinks he had never felt it before because it was too weak and he did not know Occlumency."

"And you think that this explains the visions?"

"I can only suspect, for now, but I think it could. When he left that scar, the Dark Lord also left something of his in it, and that is what created the link between them both. The connection was only activated recently because He has a body now."

"WHAT THE FUCK, REG?" Sirius shouted, as Regulus rose abruptly, knocking his cup of tea over his brother and covering him with the hot beverage. But Regulus ignored him, focusing instead on what now seemed to be the last piece of a puzzle they had been trying to solve for weeks.

_The Dark Lord also left something of his in it_. 

When he had heard those words, he had had a brief moment of clarity, but the idea he had had seemed so wrong, so twisted... Could it be possible?

Rapidly, he tried to review everything he knew. To create an Horcrux, you had to commit a murder. Every murder severed your soul, but only a ritual could detach a small part of it and allow you to put it into an object. However, that was the theory for creating an Horcrux when your soul was still whole. What happened to a soul that had been severed repeatedly for decades, and that had been split not only two, but at least four times, when it lost its hosting body? Would it still be stable enough to stand the power of a Killing Curse that had bounced back on a very powerful protection, and to stay in one piece? Or would it be too damaged to prevent a small part to detach itself, and to go into the nearest host it could find and then create something akin to an Horcrux?

Would it be?

"Sirius, hold him, he's going into shock!" a panicked woman ordered.

Firm arms took him from behind, and he felt someone help him sit against the wall. His head was spinning, and he could not recognize the face in front of him.

Horcrux, horcrux, horcrux.

"Reg, can you hear me? Come on baby brother, what's going on?" someone asked.

Horcrux, horcrux, horcrux.

"His pulse is increasing," the woman warned, "and his breathing too. Come on, Regulus, listen to me now. I want you to calm down. Whatever is bothering you can wait; we need you to focus on your breathing, can you do that for me love?"

Regulus breathed in, deeply.

Horcrux, horcrux, horcrux.

"Good, now out."

He breathed out.

"Again."

Horcrux, horcrux, horcrux.

"Can you stand?" the voice asked.

He shook his head slowly, before opening his lips and whispering shakily.

"Horcrux."

"Horcrux?" someone asked. "What does he mean by that?"

"I don't know, we were talking about Harry."

"Horcr... YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" a third man shouted, before promptly emptying the contents of his stomach.

"You just threw up on my shoes, Lupin," a murderous voice stated coldly. "You better have a very good excuse for that."

"This is what you care about, Snape?" the man asked, breathing shakily. "Don't you understand what your friend meant? The reason why Harry has the connection is because A PART OF VOLDEMORT'S SOUL IS INSIDE HIM!"

* * *

Harry had woken up feeling better than the day before, and promptly gone to the kitchen to eat something. He had not eaten in almost a day, and he was famished. Once he had entered the room, however, the gloomy atmosphere had hit him hard, and the somber look on the adults' faces had told him everything he needed to know.

They had learned something very bad, and it concerned him directly.

* * *

"Who's that from, Harry?" Hermione asked when she saw her friend deep in thought. Letters sent during the evening were often important ones, and Harry looked extremely serious.

"It's from Diggory," he told her and Ron, handing her the piece of paper. "He wanted to thank me for telling him about the first task, and gave me advice. I'm supposed to go to the Prefect's bathroom to take a bath with the egg."

"With the egg?" Ron said, looking surprised. "Why the egg?"

"Maybe I can only understand what's being said while I'm taking a bath?" the dark-haired suggested. "I don't know, but I think I should try anyway. Neither Sirius or Reg have had any idea so far, and I'm beginning to lose hope."

"Of course," Hermione exclaimed, suddenly understanding. "It's Mermish! The Merpeople 's voices change when they're out of the water, I read it in the book professor Moody gave me!"

"Merpeople?" Harry asked, sounding distressed. "Do you think I will have to go underwater?"

"That's a possibility," she answered honestly. "Why?"

"I can't swim."

* * *

"I think the enigma is pretty clear," Regulus told his brother. "Harry will have to rescue someone from the Merpeople in less than an hour."

Next to him, he felt the boy shift nervously.

"So, that's why they wanted a way to track the participants," Sirius replied, sounding annoyed. "What were they thinking, really? We won't even be able to see what's happening."

"You seem to take it very well," Hermione said, "I thought you would not like the idea of Harry being underwater for such a long time."

"I don't like it the least, but the only choice I apparently have is to support my Godson and to help him train for the next two tasks so that's what I'm doing now. Do you already have an idea on how to proceed?"

"Professor Moody mentioned the Bubble-Head Charm when we talked about visiting the Merpeople, I've looked into some other options but it seems to be the easiest way for Harry. He could try to transfigure himself, of course, but that would be too hard to learn in such a short time."

"That's a good idea," Ronald said. "Fred and George used it last summer to go and find some water plants they needed, they stayed into the pond for forty-five minutes before coming back."

"I'll still need to learn how to swim," Harry reminded them.

"Didn't you learn when you were younger?" Ron asked.

"Well... I kinda changed the water into jelly during the first lesson, because Dudley tried to drown me. The Dursley forbid me to go back after that."

"Well, you'll learn both together," Regulus told him. "The only problem I have is where to go? I don't think going back into the Prefect's bathroom is a good idea."

"I'll take care of that," Sirius answered. "I think we're done for the day, kids. Reg, do you mind staying for a while?"

Regulus nodded and waited for the trio to disappear, before casting some wards around him.

"So, how is he doing?" his brother asked.

"Not very good," he answered. "He tries to look cheerful when he's with his friends, but they know better than to trust him. He's very bad, even if he improved with Occlumency," he added with a sad smile.

"Has one of them asked you yet?"

"No, but I've seen the looks they exchanged when Harry was not looking. They're worried."

"As I am," Sirius answered darkly. "If only we had been prepared to face him, that day. He already has too many problems for us to add one."

"You couldn't know," Regulus told him. "Mrs. Pomfrey had said he would sleep at least twelve hours."

"I know, but I can't help but feel it's my fault. Anyway, let's change the subject. How are things with Hermione?"

Low blow Sirius.

"It could be worse, I suppose. We talk. We study. But it's not the same as before, something changed."

"But she accepted your apology?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's all you can do for now, I think. Just show her that you're here for her, whatever happens, and whatever she decides. Show her that you have faith in her, and that you trust her judgment."

"I'll try," he said, ignoring the searing pain in his chest.

* * *

He couldn't understand why, suddenly, Dumbledore had decided that he was the best person to escort Potter to Grimmauld Place, and to monitor the swimming lessons he had. Another teacher could have gone. Minerva was his Head of House, for Circe's sake, not him! Did the old man truly think he wanted to watch Potter try not to drown into the pool?

Alright, maybe he wanted to watch.

But still.

Why not Moron Moody? After all, Dumbledore trusted the old Auror more than he trusted his Potion Master (not that it was wrong of him, considering what he was doing behind his back). But no, Mister Moody, had a secret thing to do with Albus, so the task had been assigned to him.

Bollocks.

"Very good, Mr. Potter," he heard the instructor say. "I think that, with two or three more lessons, you should be able to swim well enough for that little bet of yours."

The boy beamed at the compliment, and Severus tried not to roll his eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, pup!" Black said from the bench.

"Is he done for the day?" Severus asked, irritated. "Some of us have places to be, and Potter needs to go back before curfew."

"He's all yours, sir," the stupid Muggle told him. "That's very kind of you to have escorted him from school. You must be a great teacher!"

Severus ignored Black's sudden fit of laughter and gestured to the boy to hurry. Next time, he would Polyjuice Regulus so that he could be left in peace.

* * *

Regulus watched as the three teenagers held their charm around their head, and finally stopped the timer.

"One hour and ten minutes, congratulations!"

"I can't believe I did it!" Ronald said happily. "I couldn't even hold it more than ten minutes two weeks ago!"

"You're not bad at charms, Ronald, you're even slightly above average, I think. You just need to be more confident in your abilities, but I think we're getting there, right?"

"We are," Hermione said, looking at her friend proudly. "And I think we can all agree that Regulus being in our lives is the best thing that happened in years!" she added, smiling at him.

His heart fluttered in his chest when he saw her, and he smiled back.

"It's almost lunch, I think we're done for now. Harry, you did well, and you're more than ready for the next task."

Harry smiled broadly, and Regulus was happy to see that he looked better than he had during the previous weeks.

"I'm leaving you for now, I'm meeting Severus this afternoon and I have a few things to do before I see him. I'll be back tomorrow morning, I think."

"Alright, thanks Reg," Harry said.

"Yeah, thanks mate."

"Thank you, Regulus, have a nice day!" Hermione told him, before following her friends.

Regulus sighed before turning into a cat and going to Severus' rooms, where he took a shower while waiting for his friend to come back. He had been coming here for months, now, and had most of his stuff in a small wardrobe he had transfigured in his bedroom. It was easier than sneaking in the Tower.

"I thought you would come later," he heard a deep voice say.

"I didn't have anything else to do, and you said it was urgent. What happened?"

"Someone broke into my store," Severus told him. "My personal store."

"Do you know why?"

"I've been trying to understand what potion they wanted to create, but too many ingredients are missing, and all of them could be used in at least four different potions."

"I don't like that at all."

"Me neither. Do you think you could take Potter's Map to see if anyone suspect is inside the castle?"

"We've been watching it almost every day, and we haven't seen anyone who should not be here."

"I hope we'll find something else, then."

* * *

"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall called from the entrance of the Common Room. "Would you mind coming with me, please?"

Hermione looked at Ron, and then Harry, and her throat went dry when she saw her friend's look. He too, had understood why they were being called by their Head of House. She swallowed hard before answering.

"Of course, professor. Harry, I think you should go to bed, I don't know how long we will have to stay and you need to be in good condition for tomorrow. Crooks, take care of him?"

Her cat meowed loudly, looking at McGonagall suspiciously, before jumping on Harry's legs. She and Ron rose from their seats and followed their professor. McGonagall did not speak for the entire journey, and the only time they heard her voice was when she spoke up the password to the Headmaster's office.

"She seems upset," Ron told her quietly.

Hermione nodded, agreeing. Things were not looking good if McGonagall did not like what was happening to them. She only hoped that Regulus would be able to help Harry stay calm until the beginning of the Task.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, welcome!" Dumbledore's voice greeted them.

The door had opened, and a warm light was coming from the office. Professor McGonagall entered first and indicated two empty chairs facing the Headmaster's desk. Two other chairs were already occupied: on the first one, she easily recognized Cho Chang – Cedric Diggory's girlfriend and Harry's unofficial crush – and on the second sat a young girl that looked so much like Fleur Delacour she had to be her sister. From the corner of her eyes, she also saw professor Flitwick, professor Moody, Ludo Bagman, as well as a middle-aged couple she did not know but who also seemed to be related to the French girl. And wait, was that Percy? Was Mr. Crouch still ill?

"Well," Dumbledore began cheerfully. "Now that we are all here, please excuse me for calling a meeting at this late hour. However, we couldn't ask you to come before, as we don't want our champions to suspect what's going to happen tomorrow."

_Fat chance for that_ , she thought, remembering Harry's look.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Weasley, could you please explain what's going to happen to our four friends?"

It was Percy who began, and Hermione listened distractedly. Blabla, under the water for around two hours, blabla, no danger, blabla, will be saved, blabla, no lasting damage. Finally, he stopped speaking, but an overjoyed Bagman took over, and she had to concentrate very hard to make it look like she was listening.

"... and I think I said everything. Any question?"

She raised her hand, looking directly at Dumbledore and speaking before he could stop her.

"Do we have a choice?"

The old man's eyes twinkled before he answered.

"I'm afraid you don't, Miss Granger, we need you so that the Second Task may be performed."

She could almost hear professor Snape sneer in her head. He was right. Dumbledore _was_ an old goat.

* * *

"Ron and Hermione are not with you?" Sirius asked in a somber tone.

"They're not," Regulus replied stiffly.

"I see. They are what the champions need to recover, am I correct?"

"I'm afraid you are."

"Merlin's beard. The First Task was already dangerous enough for my boy, and now they dragged two – no, four – other children? What the hell were those idiots thinking?"

"What the hell indeed," Regulus echoed, looking at the Lake. One hour, sitting on a cold day of February, anxiously waiting for Harry to come back safely with Ron and... No, Hermione would be with Krum, wouldn't she? Furiously glaring at the Durmstrang student who had begun undressing to enter the Lake – was that really what he looked like, under all of those furs? he had expected something better – he watched the map closely, looking for someone who should not be there.

"Sirius," he said, trying to catch his brother's attention. "She's here again."

"Who?"

"Skeeter."

"Really? Where?" he asked, looking at the map, and then glancing around. "She's supposed to be just a few meters away from us, but I don't see her. Do you think she's disillusioned?"

"Maybe, I'll go look around. Keep the map close. Good thing we can see what's happening in the lake. How did you guys ever think of including it?"

"We used to prank the students who were swimming here."

Trying not to imagine what kind of pranks the Marauders had done at the time; he left his brother and went to the location where Rita Skeeter was supposed to be. After five minutes of search, he gave up and returned to his seat.

"I did not see her."

"Really? The map says she did not move at all."

"That's strange," he said. "But I don't think of anything that could help us right now. Just hold on your privacy charms, and when everything is done, take Harry far away from that place."

Sirius nodded, focusing on the four champions that were now ready to enter the Lake. Harry had already his Bubble-Head Charm in place and seemed confident.

"There is still something suspect," Regulus quietly told his brother as his friend entered the water. "Crouch is not here."

"Crouch? Why do you think it's suspect?"

"You know the man, and you know his reputation. He is never sick. Never."

"That's right," Sirius answered pensively. "Maybe we should take that to our next meeting. Do we know of anyone with contacts within the Ministry?"

"I'm afraid we don't."

"And we won't bring anymore people in," his brother added. "Well, I'll try to see if Ronald cannot ask his brother, he is the one replacing him. Maybe I'll even try to enquire on my own."

"Don't," Regulus told him firmly. "You're as obvious as a bull in a china shop, and that Weasley is not completely Gryffindor. I'll do it."

"Alright. Well, we have at least thirty minutes before the first one appears, and I've seen the Weasley twins not far away from us. I've been wanting to talk to them for a while."

Regulus decided that it would be wise to ignore the fact that his brother was meeting with the two official Hogwarts pranksters, and directed his attention on the map.

* * *

Hermione suddenly jolted awake, freezing. Someone was holding her tightly, and she held her breath when she saw his face. Human transfiguration? she wondered for a few seconds, before the man's head turned back to its original shape.

"Hermy-own," she heard Viktor say. "You are safe, now. Ve go to the shore. Can you svim?" he asked, looking concerned.

She could not feel her fingers anymore, but she nodded nonetheless. She would not look weak in front of him, or in front of the entire school. It was embarrassing enough to know that she had been chosen as his target, she did not want people to remind her that she had also needed to be helped to go back on the ground. Luckily for her, they only had to swim for a few minutes before the helping hands of the security group pulled them out of the water. Someone gave her a towel, and Mrs. Pomfrey immediately cast a warming charm around her before shoving a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Grateful for the source of warmth, she was looking around, searching for Harry and Ron, when she saw that Viktor was trying to get her attention.

"Can ve speak?" he asked, sounding embarrassed. "There is something I vant to ask you."

Intrigued, Hermione followed him a few meters from the stands, next to a huge tree.

"I vas vondering if you vould accept coming to my home this summer? I really like spending time vith you, Hermy-own, and..."

But she did not hear what he said, because something caught her attention. Or rather, someone, approaching quickly.

"Re... Réginald, what on Earth are you doing here?" she asked, feeling herself going red at the idea that he might have heard their conversation. He looked angry enough for that to be the case.

"That Skeeter woman is here," he said, looking around. "But I can't see her and I haven't been able to understand how she stays hidden that well. She followed you after you left the edges of the Lake, and I'm pretty confident that she heard whatever your friend told you."

"WHAT?" she shrieked, even more embarrassed than before. "But... but..."

"How do you know that she is here?" Viktor asked, suspicious.

"None of your business," Regulus answered sharply. "Come on, Hermione, Sirius wants to make sure that you are alright," he said, taking her hand and dragging her along with him, completely ignoring Viktor.

"Sorry," she told him, "I'll see you around?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, what did you thought of the attack? It was hard to write about the processus of Regulus understanding that Harry was a Horcrux. I hope you find it logical, because I have no better idea for the explanation x) 
> 
> About his reaction, that may seem extreme: I too, would totally freak out if I understood that my former Master's soul is inside one of my friend's body. I think that, for (most of the) wizards, the integrity of the soul is something sacred, that you cannot touch! 
> 
> Also, could you imagine Snape at the swimming pool? Could you? 
> 
> See you in two weeks (for real, this time!)
> 
> Krummbein


	16. The Final Task

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to post the chapter this late, but it's still Monday here, so you'll forgive me, right? ;)
> 
> Someone posted that on my fb feed recently, and I couldn't resist sharing it here... Isn't that heartbreaking AND cute? https://www.instagram.com/p/B7yqdHNika6/
> 
> What are your favourite HP comics artists/pages? Mine are Madame_Lady_comics (especially when it's about Minerva!), My Life As A Background Slytherin (I laugh every time I read those comics) and Floccinaucinihilipilificationa (Dumbledore is my favourite character. And I love the Hermione's books. And the Valentines' card OMG, just too much).

"Have you seen the news, Regulus?" Severus asked him silkily as he entered his rooms. The man was too cheerful, and Regulus immediately suspected that something was up. "Dear _Hermione_ made the front page of the prophet with her _boyfriend_. The article was _delightful_ , Rita has a real talent for writing, I have to admit that. I particularly liked the way she recounted how _romantic_ it was, the charming manner he asked the girl if she would accept to come and see him during the summer. Sadly, their little moment was ruined by some stranger who rudely forced her to leave. I wonder who it was," he concluded with a nasty smile.

Regulus had seen the article, and he didn't want to hear anymore about it.

"Don't," he hissed, his lips barely moving.

"Why? That was you, wasn't it?" his friend asked, smirking. "But you couldn't understand what they talked about? Well, now you know everything. I'll lend you my copy of the Prophet if you want a more _detailed_ account of what happened."

"You really are a bastard," Regulus spat angrily at the man. "You know we're having a meeting in less than ten minutes and you don't want to go, so you thought you would try to rile me, right?"

"I won't deny or confirm that."

"I hate you, just so you know."

"No worries, the feeling is mutual," Severus said happily. "Floo powder?" he asked, almost innocently.

Regulus took a small pinch from the pot and threw the powder into the fireplace, before going in and shouting his destination. He emerged into the kitchen furiously.

"Already read the Prophet, baby brother?" Sirius asked, not raising his head from his own copy of the newspaper.

"SHUT UP." Why was everyone so determined to remind him of that wretched article? "So," he said, trying to change the subject, "who are we waiting for?"

"Remus can't come because yesterday was a full moon and he's still recovering, and none of the Tonks is home today. It's just us three, boys," Sirius announced, winking at Severus, and ignoring the rude gesture the man made in his direction. "Why don't you seat down? Dobby is preparing something light for lunch, will you stay?"

"Yes – No."

Regulus and Severus glanced at each other, before shrugging.

"Alright. So, Snape. I supposed you've found the ritual that will help us take care of Harry's... _situation_?"

The Potion Master sighed lengthily before answering.

"I have, but we have several problems to take care of before we can use it on the boy. First, there isn't a ritual that corresponds exactly to what we're needing, so I had to create one on purpose. I'm positive it will work, but I will need your approval before I perform it. Then, we have to decide when to implement it. The best day, according to my calculation, would be the 31st of October, and for a simple reason: if we are correct, and Potter is sheltering a part of the Dark Lord's soul, that _thing_ will try to join the other spirits presents for the night, and leave our world to go to theirs."

"That seems coherent," Sirius said, "but that means Harry will have to live with it for longer than we initially thought."

"Indeed. I could try on another day, but my calculations point to this date, and the ritual will be extremely exhausting for all of those who are involved in it, so we can't try it too many times. Which brings me to the second and last point: we need the blood of one of his family members, and the closest possible."

"Do we, really? I could do without seeing Petunia again."

"I'm afraid we have, yes. It will help enhance the protection Dumbledore talked about, and will help Potter's body to reject the foreign soul he has inside him."

"Does she have to be willing?"

"... I'm still working on that part."

"Alright, I suppose it could have been worse than that. I'd like to see dear Petunia's reaction when she sees _you_."

"Please, don't mention that woman's name more than it is necessary," Severus said acidly.

"I won't, I don't like thinking of her either. Is that all?"

"For now, I think it is. I will have to work a bit more to be certain, but the ritual should be ready before the end of the school year. After that, I will enter Potter's mind to confirm our hypothesis, and then we will have to decide whether or not we explain to the boy what we have to do."

"I think we can wait to tell him; it will only burden him. Worse, it could make him feel guilty," Regulus told the other men. "I say, let's perform that ritual, and explain after that."

"Alright," Sirius said, nodding.

"Alright," Severus added. "We do that."

* * *

Hermione jumped from her bed the moment her alarm went off, smiling when she saw that the sky was clear of clouds. The last Hogsmeade trip had been cold and damp, and it had been only two days before the First Task, so she had not been in a very good mood. Ignoring her roommates' complaints that it was way too early to get up, she took the outfit she had prepared the day before and went into the bathroom, where she stayed almost one hour. When she arrived in the Great Hall, only a few students were already present, and she sat on her favourite spot, before taking the nearest pot of tea.

"Already here, Hermione?" someone asked her.

She raised her head, only to find the twins observing her from their respective seats.

"I should be the one asking you that. It's so rare to see you two here before ten during the weekend."

"Well, little Hermione," one of them said. "We have an appointment, and we want to make sure everything runs smoothly."

"An appointment? What kind of appointment?" she asked, suspicious.

"Oh, you don't want to know that I think," the second twins answered, winking. "But it will change a few things for us, right, Freddie?"

"Sure, Georgie. I dare say that no one could have foreseen this, including us!"

"Should I be worried?" Hermione asked.

"Nooooo, not at all," Fred told her.

"Just remember to check everything you eat next year," George added.

"Great, thanks for the advice," she said, wincing. What could they be up to?

"Well, it was nice talking to you, but I see Lee coming and we need to speak with him as well. Have a nice day, little Hermione!" George said, before leaving with his brother.

Ron and Harry appeared one hour later, both of them still looking sleepy. Harry smiled and sat next to her, while Ron grabbed the plate of sausages, before seating across her.

"Hi boys, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks," Harry answered, before taking a bit of his toast. "And I think I finally understood what Reg told me about clearing my mind, I was able to meditate for at least ten minutes without visualizing anything else than water."

"I'm happy you put that charm around your bed, mate, listening to the water running in that small fountain makes me want to piss."

"Really, Ronald?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry."

"You better be. After all, the fountain was your idea, don't you remember?"

"I hadn't thought of the side-effects. I'll have to find something else for my own visualization."

"Maybe you won't need anything," Hermione said. "I'm always able to visualize a library."

"I don't want to visualize that!" he said, looking horrified.

"Well, you'll have to think of something soon, you too are beginning to learn how to project something that can help you protect your mind from legilimency attacks. But anyway, I'm proud of you, Harry. it's nice to know that you are able to learn quickly, you're the one who needs this the most."

"Yes," he said, sighing. "I hope Snape will think soon enough that I'm ready for him to enter my mind once again, I haven't had any dreams but I can't stop thinking that, whatever is here, is bad."

"The way they looked at you after you woke up that day?" she inquired.

"Yeah..."

"What could possibly be worse than what's happening to you right now, really?" Ron asked. "Do they think that you're going to transform into mini-Him or what?"

"Subtle, Ron. Very subtle," Hermione told him, indicating Harry that had put his head in his head, desperate. "I'm going to the library," she said, "I'll see you boys in a few hours?"

* * *

"Ah look, they're here," his brother told him. "Harry!" Sirius shouted, waving his hand.

Regulus looked up from the menu and saw the trio at the entrance of the Three Broomstick, apparently trying to make their way through the crowd that had gathered in the pub. His face scrunched up in confusion when he saw Hermione. There were some subtle changes in her appearance, and it reminded him of the way she had looked during the Yule Ball. Not that he wanted to recall that particular event, of course, because he couldn't help himself but think of that damn _Viktor._

"It's nearly 1p.m, where were you?" Regulus asked.

"Doing some shopping," Harry answered evasively.

_Strange_ , he thought, but he had no time to ponder on what it meant because Hermione had claimed the seat next to him, and he was soon too busy looking at her.

"I can't wait for the holidays to begin," she told him, and he could feel her press her shoulder against his as she leaned to take the menu. "May I?" He nodded quickly, trying to hide his unease. Harry and Sirius were now looking at him and grinning widely, while Ronald was trying to understand what was happening. Soon, they had all chosen a plate, and everyone happily dug in.

"So, Hermione, how's school?" Sirius asked after they were done eating, and waiting for the desert to come.

"Great, thank you! But as I was telling Regulus, I can't wait for the holidays to begin."

"Really?" his brother said, surprised. "I didn't take you for someone who liked holidays that much."

"Well, I've been getting _fan mail_ recently, and there are girls waiting for me at every corner in the castle. I haven't even been able to study in the library because of that."

"Krum's groupies?"

"I'd rather talk about something else, if you don't mind."

"Yes, let's," Regulus agreed. He did not want to be reminded of that on the day of his...

"Happy birthday, young man!" the voice of Rosmerta said from behind him. "You're twenty, right? Such a beautiful age," she added, winking in his and Hermione's direction.

"I... Thank you."

The landlady put an enormous sponge-cake on the table and left them. Instantly, Sirius, Ron, Harry and Hermione started piling presents on the table. Regulus felt his eyes beginning to water at the sight.

"I can't believe you remembered it," he told them, his voice quavering a little.

"We didn't know you, last year," Hermione told him seriously, "and we wanted to make up for that. Come on, take a present. I asked professor Snape if he had one for you, and he gave me that," she said, pointing at a rectangular-shaped package he suspected might be the book they had talked about a few days earlier.

"And Dobby also added a little something," Sirius continued, "he was very proud of it and told me it was hand-made."

"I found mine just before we came here," Harry added, "that's why I didn't want to tell you where we had been earlier."

"Thank you, really," Regulus said, feeling overwhelmed and taking the first present on the pile. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

In the end, he was extremely satisfied with his presents, even Dobby's. He had been right about Severus, and was happy to discover that his friend had included not only the first, but also the second tome of the collection (there was a small card with it, where it was written _'I missed the last one. Happy Birthday. SS'_ ). Harry had bought a large quantity of pumpkin-flavoured pastries, and Ronald a very nice edition of a book cataloguing every single Quidditch match that had happened in the world during the last ten years. Dobby had tried to innovate and had knit him two socks with different patterns on them (something orange and round that must be his animagi form – or maybe a pumpkin? – and a scene that apparently depicted their first encounter last year), and his brother had once again found a way to embarrass him with a book entitled _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_ (which he proclaimed loudly he would never touch, but was in reality extremely impatient to read). However, the best present came from Hermione, in the form of a rectangular shaped pendant that opened to reveal a picture they had taken together during one of their outings in London.

"I hope it's not too girly," she told him, her face red, "but I thought it would be nice for you to have a pendant as well so that we can match."

"I like it very much," he said, fastening it quickly around his neck before putting it under his shirt.

"Now that we're done here," Sirius said loudly, "what do you say to a small visit at Zonko's, and then at Tome and Scrolls before you have to go back to the castle?"

"Actually," Hermione began with a small voice, "I won't be able to come with you." Even Harry and Ronald seemed surprised by her declaration. "I, uh. I may have a date with Viktor in less than ten minutes."

Regulus doubted he would forget that birthday anytime soon.

* * *

"What happened to your teeth?" was the horrified greetings that Hermione got from both her parents, after she had arrived to King's Cross for Easter.

"I got them shrunk," she answered honestly, hoping there would be no debate because of her decision. "The nurse said she could do it for me and I accepted."

"But why?" her father asked. "Braces would have helped you!"

"They wouldn't have changed their size, dad," Hermione tried to argue, already tired by the discussion. Honestly, she had enough problems at the moment and only wanted to be left alone. Her mother must have sensed that something was wrong, however, because she shot a not-so-discreet warning glance in her husband's direction, before asking.

"So, darling, how was your school year so far?"

"It was... alright."

Her parents exchanged a concerned glance.

"Did something happen? You haven't mentioned anything in your letters."

"I've had another fight with my best friend."

"Harry?"

"No."

"Ron?"

"Neither."

"How come we never heard of that boy before?" her father enquired.

"It's... a recent development, I think."

"I see. What was the fight about?"

"... My boyfriend," Hermione said as quietly as she could.

It was a good thing that her father was not driving, she thought, because they would surely have had an accident judging by his reaction.

"I don't like that," he said finally, "you're too young for boys."

"Oh, come on, darling, I had my first boyfriend when I was twelve, and it was really nice."

"She's not twelve, she's fifteen."

"Can we please drop the subject?" Hermione asked tiredly. "And anyway, I doubt he will be my boyfriend for long, he lives in Bulgaria and leaves at the end of the school year."

"GOOD," Mr. Granger said. "As long as he doesn't ask if you can come during summer."

Hermione decided it would be wise not to bring the subject of her possible two-weeks travel just now.

"How come Crooks isn't with you, darling?" her mother said after a few minutes of silence. "Did you think he would not feel at home in our house after being so long in the castle?"

"He didn't approve of my boyfriend either, so we also had a fight."

This time, her parents really looked worried.

* * *

"I found my effe!" Viktor told her as he arrived in the library. She hadn't seen him during the break, as neither of them had been in Hogwarts, but she knew he was supposed to go back home. "And I bound him to me!"

"Oh!" Hermione said excitedly. "Did he accept to be paid?"

"I took a vhile, but yes. I will tell him about the holidays later," Viktor answered with a small smile.

"This is really wonderful, he will be happier with you than he was with your parents, right?"

"Yes."

"I hope I can meet him one day."

"I'm sure you vill."

* * *

Sirius was glaring at the Headmaster, trying to control his bad mood. Judging by Remus' look, he was utterly failing.

As on the previous occasions, he had not been able to sleep during the night, and he knew it was totally normal. His pup had been forced to enter a deadly competition, and whoever had enrolled him had yet to make a move. Tonight being the day of the last Task, Sirius knew there was a strong chance for something to happen. That was why, for the past month, he had tried to make Dumbledore (and Bagman, and _Weasley_ ) to change their mind about that _fucking maze_ with _fucking dangerous creatures_ (he had _seen_ the Skrewts).

But noooooo, they had all assured him that the champions would be tracked by a special spell, and that the creatures were not _that_ dangerous, and that everything would be find, and that _'please, trust me when I say the government took all the necessary protections, Lord Black'_ (Weasley); _'Come on, old friend, what do you think could happen, really?'_ (Bagman) and _'I assure you, Sirius, Moody asked two other Aurors to be present tonight besides the teachers, and I personally saw to the wards. No one unauthorized will be able to enter, of that, I am certain'_ (Dumbledore) _._

Ah yes, the wards. Dumbledore had begrudgingly admitted that there _might_ have been a problem with the wards he had erected during the previous Task, because Rita Skeeter should not have been able to enter Hogwarts, least come near to the Lake. Because of that, the old Headmaster had designed new wards that, he assured, would be "completely Rita Skeeter-proofed". Surprisingly, Sirius knew the blasted woman would still find a way to enter.

"There are too many people," he heard Remus sigh next to him. "We should have thought of a way to zoom on that map. Or to search for someone specific."

"Too late for that. At least, it won't be too hard to follow Harry, as there will only be four people in that maze."

"Don't forget the teachers, or the Aurors. Tonks told me she had volunteered to help."

"Just how often do you speak with my cousin, Moony?" Sirius asked suspiciously. He couldn't remember Tonks telling _him_ that she was going to be here tonight.

"Not very often," the werewolf answered, suddenly turning away from him and looking away. "Oh, I think I can see Reg... Réginald coming this way, I think I should go and say hello!"

_Merlin, he betrayed himself in less than thirty seconds_ , Sirius thought, a bit amused. Was something already going on between those two? Obviously, Remus had not been the one making the first move, his friend was far too shy and far too anxious about his _monthly problems_ to talk to any girl. And Tonks had not really been discreet about her crush on the man either. But Sirius was pretty sure a relationship between those two could work on the long term, provided that his friend accepted to let the woman in. Well, another prospective romance to keep an eye on.

"Sirius," he heard, and someone sat on the chair next to him.

"Reg," he said, before nodding to Ron and Hermione. "How was he?" he asked them both.

"Nervous," Hermione replied. "He is certain that something is going to happen. Something _will_ happen, right?" she asked, grimacing slightly.

"The Committee thinks not, and Dumbledore is convinced that his wards are enough to prevent anyone not allowed to come, and that three Aurors are enough to take care of danger, but I have a bad feeling."

"We all have," Regulus said darkly. "Nothing on the map yet?"

"No, but if something were to happen, it would be during the Task."

"Look, Bagman is about to speak," Ron interrupted.

Sirius and Remus looked up from the map, and Hermione took her binoculars from her bag, pointing them on Harry. The noise of the conversations faded gradually, and everyone focused on what was happening at the centre of the small arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!” Sirius and his companions tried to applaud, but he could clearly see Hermione grimace when she heard the rest of the school cheer for her friend. “In second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!” This time, they were able to applaud, although Sirius saw that his brother deliberately chose not to. “And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!” Harry waved at them and they waved back, and Sirius dragged in a long breath when he heard Bagman's whistle and saw his pup enter the maze.

After that, all of them followed Harry's progress anxiously. The map could not show the newly added walls, but they were able to deduce the times when his boy encountered a junction (he would stop for a few seconds, before suddenly turning in one direction), or an obstacle (he would slow down, sometimes stop for a minute or two, or even go back from where he came, apparently running). There had also been a time when he had completely stopped moving for more than five minutes, and Sirius had been close to call for help, but Harry had suddenly moved, allowing Sirius to finally breathe correctly. After a while, red sparks had appeared in the sky, and an unconscious Fleur had been brought back. Sirius had watched, horrified, the beautiful girl being awaken and beginning to scream in terror at the sight of the Healer kneeled next to her, before being given a potion that had immediately put her to sleep. Later, they had seen the Healer mutter something to Dumbledore, and the man had frowned slightly, looking worried, before producing a patronus and sending it away, probably to Moody. But Sirius had stopped paying attention to what was happening, because someone had appeared on the map, someone he knew was not supposed to be here.

"I knew it," he said, observing Skeeter getting closer and closer to the maze. "I knew she would find a way to breach the wards. How is that even possible? Snape confirmed that Dumbledore had put new wards around the castle _and_ the stadium."

"That's really strange," Remus admitted, "only a specialist as Snape should have been able to remove them, and temporarily. She must have found another way to enter, but which one?"

"BLOODY HELL!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, making everyone jump. "She's an animagus, that's why the wards don't recognize her! Ordinary wards don't work with animagi, Dumbledore should have known that after what happened with Pettigrew!"

"FUCK," Sirius shouted, "give me that map, Moony, I'm going to warn him."

"Wait," Ron said, looking at the parchment, "I think something is happening."

"Is that Krum, coming from the opposite side?" Remus asked, looking as well.

"Yes," Regulus confirmed, "it looks like they're going to arrive at the same moment in what I think is the middle of the maze."

"Rita is following Krum," Ron said slowly. "How come he hasn't seen her yet?"

"Her animagus form must be ordinary," Lupin offered. "Something small, that you would not pay attention to, like a small animal or an..."

"Insect," Hermione finished. "There was a beetle flying around the tree where Krum and I were discussing. I remember thinking that it was almost spring when I saw it."

"Her name is on top of Krum's," Ron interrupted again. "She must have landed on his shoulder."

"No time to lose," Sirius decided, looking at his Godson's name on the map. He had stopped and was facing Krum. "I'm going to Dumbledore."

"Krum is moving," he heard Ron say. "I think he and Harry are side to side now. What do you think they are doing?"

"I don't know," Sirius answered, feeling worried. "Why aren't they moving anymore? If they're near the Cup, one of them should take it."

"Maybe they are talking?" Hermione suggested. "Viktor told me he had been impressed by Harry when he was flying, and that he wanted to congratulate him."

"Wait, Krum is coming nearer Harry!" Regulus said. "I think Hermione is right, they might be talking... wait, where did they go?" he asked, his voice suddenly filled with dread. "Sirius, the three names have vanished from the map!"

"WHAT?"

"That's not possible," Lupin said, stammering, "the map shows everyone, even if they are invisible or transformed. The only way for them not to be on it would be if they were dead of if they had..."

"... disappeared from Hogwarts," Regulus ended.

"Portkey," Ron said slowly. "One of them used a portkey."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I'm gonna be honest, I'm not totally satisfied with this chapter! I've tried to improve it, but it seem that I can't get some parts right (the beginning, especially). I might try to rewrite some part one day. Hope you'll like it anyway :) I'll post the next chapter in two weeks, because I haven't been able to write a lot lately, and I don't have any more chapters in advance!
> 
> Oh, by the way.  
> I'm not sorry for stopping the fic here.  
> Not at all :D
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	17. The Beetle Flies Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you are alright, and ready for what's going to happen ;) Long chapter ahead, so make yourself comfortable! 
> 
> Small warnings: the fic might become a bit "darker". It's not going to be the worst you've read, but there will be some mention of/torture at some point, and also what I called "dubious consent" (don't be alarmed, no rape or anything like that, I just thought I should add a warning just in case). 
> 
> Some news about the updates: I'm beginning a new job tomorrow (first one after litterally a year of research, at least that's the worst thing the corona crisis did to me), so I've decided to change the day of the updates! Sundays (in France, at least) will be easier for me :)
> 
> I don't think any of you have read anything of what I wrote above, but let's just imagine you did! I'm so nervous, you have no idea.
> 
> Enjoy this chapter ♥

She had left Hogsmeade exactly one hour after the Last Task had begun, and flown directly to the Quidditch pitch. Her timing had been excellent (but it always was), and she had come across Viktor Krum less than a minute before he entered the clearing where the Triwizard Cup had been placed. He had stopped walking abruptly; and she had almost jumped for joy when she had seen why: Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived To Refuse Her Interviews (Because Of That Moron Black), was there as well. 

Merlin, Circe and Salazar, that was even better than what she had been expecting! If she was lucky, neither of them would want the other to have the Cup, and they would fight over it. Better even, why would the Cup not be a metaphor for the delightful young Hermione Granger that Viktor Krum seemed to be enamoured with? Because, you know, Harry Potter just _had_ to be secretly in love with his best friend, the brilliant Muggle-Born Gryffindor, the girl born for breaking famous men's hearts? Yes, she could almost picture the headline... _**Harry Potter's Secret Heartache**_. 

Krum had approached Potter, and the boy seemed almost relieved to see him. She listened, astonished, as the dark-haired Gryffindor told his opponent he did not want the Cup for himself, and that the Quidditch player could take it if he wanted to. No no no, they had to give her something to work on, a love triangle story would sell way better than some stupid Gryffindor Chivalry! Krum did not seem to have listened correctly, however, because he unexpectedly pointed his wand at Potter and immobilized him. Ah, that was better, yes, here was the fight she had been waiting for. 

She observed with great interest how the Bulgarian quickly moved his wand around them while chanting slowly, before taking an old quill from his pocket. Potter was shouting at him, now, asking Krum to just take the Cup and release him, and she had a bad feeling. The quill had taken a familiar bright blue glow, and it was already too late when she understood that it was a Portkey.

* * *

Harry had been happy to see Krum coming in his direction, relieved even, because now someone else could take the Cup instead of him, and he would not have to be in the spotlight anymore. He had told his opponent he could take the artefact, take the glory, and leave him here to be found by the teachers. But Krum had barely listened, his face hard, strangely emotionless, and he had immobilized him. 

Harry had not understood at first. Why was Krum doing such a thing, when he only had to grab the Cup to win the Tournament? Suddenly, he had remembered Sirius' concern at the beginning of the year, and the truth had sunk in. He had repressed a shiver of sick fear when he had understood what was going on and had begun screaming, but it was already too late, and he looked, powerless, as the man in front of him activated the Portkey he had taken from his pocket.

* * *

Apparition as an animagi was not recommended, especially not when one's form was that of an insect. Rita was confident at least one of her members was broken, and she was feeling so nauseous the only idea of moving might have made her vomit if she had not been a beetle.

Fuck, where was she?

Where was Krum?

Where was Potter?

Wait, was that Barty Crouch?

She tried to look higher and winced – her physical state was worse than previously imagined – and observed her surroundings quietly. Barty Crouch, _Barty Crouch_ , was standing on what looked like a Muggle graveyard, glazing away with a vacant look on his face. He seemed to have aged suddenly, and she took in his white hairs, the sick colour of his skin, and the dark shadows around his eyes. She had known he was supposed to be sick, but the man in front of her seemed like he could die at any moment.

If his health was that bad, what was he doing here in the first place? And why wasn't he moving? Had he also been abducted by Krum? But why would Krum want Crouch or Potter in the first place? And where was the Bulgarian, by the way?

Trying to move in the opposite direction, she was surprised to found a small elf, going back and forth between a gigantic cauldron and an old Muggle man who was carefully holding a small packet in his arms, a packet that looked like a baby wrapped into blankets. The elf seemed familiar, and soon her foggy memory was able to remind her that it was Crouch's, and that it had been sacked almost a year ago. The situation was going stranger by the minute.   


Potter was shouting again, trying to escape his invisible restraints, but her head was still buzzing and she could not understand everything he said. Still, it seemed that he had recognized the elf as well and was trying to have her help him. He stopped abruptly, and the look on his face made her gaze in the same direction with anxious eyes. Slowly, painfully, she turned her body the opposite way and stared, completely frozen, at the man that had appeared in front of them.

* * *

Harry had not liked his first travel by Portkey. Maybe it was the fact that he had landed on his face and felt his nose break under the shock, or maybe it was the fact that he had been abducted by his best friend's boyfriend. Or maybe both. There was a metallic taste in his mouth, and he realized that he must have bitten his tongue as well. His vision was blurry, and he could not see anything else than the sparse grass on the ground. There was a foul smell in the air, and it made his stomach churn when he first took a breath. He couldn't say how, but he was pretty sure that it smelled of _death_.

Someone grabbed him from behind, and suddenly he was turned around, placed up against something cold and hard. Blinking, he saw Krum moving off and called him, trying to get him to explain why he had abducted him and where they were, but to no avail. He looked around and realized that he was in a graveyard. And, as far as he could tell, a Muggle one. The Muggle part made no sense at all, and he did not like the graveyard one. He dragged in a long breath, trying to stop the tears that were coming from his eyes. Whatever happened, he could not look weak. He blinked again, and this time he was able to have a better look at the cemetery. There were two men, standing not far from him, and he was shocked when he recognized the first one.

"Mr. Crouch?" The man did not make any movement that could indicate that he had heard him, however, and Harry had a bad feeling. He looked like he had been hit by a freezing spell. "How are you, sir?" Harry asked again. "Percy Weasley, your assistant, told us that you were sick. I hope that you are feeling better, now?" he inquired, trying to sound as if they were just old friends, meeting for their afternoon tea. Again, Mr. Crouch did not answer, and Harry wondered if he was alive at all.

There was a small sound not far away from him, and Harry saw a small creature passing rapidly in front of him, dumping something in the biggest cauldron he had ever seen, before going back from where it came from. It was an elf, he saw, and one he had already met. What were the odds?

"Winky," he called. "WINKY!" The little elf stopped moving and looked at him, fearful. Good, she had heard him.

"Winky cannot speak with the prisoner," she said stubbornly, before turning her head away and ignoring him entirely.

"Wait, Winky! Winky! You have to help me! Someone is trying to kill me!"

"Winky cannot help the prisoner," she said, this time with a small tremor in her voice. "The Master strictly forbade it."

"Who's your master, Winky?" he shouted after the little elf. "What does he want with me?"

But the elf was not listening and moved towards the second person, an old man who seemed to be carrying some kind of blanket. Harry had no time to see who the man was because, suddenly, it was as if someone plunged a white-hot knife into his scar, and opened his skull after that. He screamed in agony, trying to find a way to get rid of the invisible ties that were holding his body, but the spell was too strong, and he did not move at all.

  
"So, I guess you're finally realizing what's happening, right Potter?" 

The unexpected voice, too young to be the old man's, almost made him jump, and he looked at the stranger who had appeared from behind one of the graves. He had straw-coloured hairs, a pale face with freckles, and he seemed younger than Harry had previously thought now that he was closer. His face was marked with deep lines, however, and Harry was strongly reminded of the way Sirius had looked the first time he had met him. He wore long black robes, ending with a hood, and had a mask in his right hand. A silvery mask. Harry gulped. 

"Do I know you?" Harry asked slowly, as he took the man's face in. Somehow, he had the feeling that they had met before.

"Oh, you do know me, Potter," the man answered, chuckling. "Why, don't you recognize me? Veil, I vosn't looking like this ven ve first met, Potter."

"... Viktor?" he asked, dumbfounded. "But. No, you can't be. How could you pass for him?"

"Ever heard of Polyjuice, Potter? The Durmstrang's sixth and seventh years are allowed to drink vodka from their own flask, did you know that? Apparently, it helps staying warm in Durmstrang. The winters there are dreadful, from what I heard."

"Polyjuice?" Harry repeated, horrified. "How... How long?"

The man smiled, darkly.

"Since. The. Beginning."

"I don't believe you," Harry answered through his teeth. "There's no way it's possible."

"And why is that, Potter?"

"Viktor Krum asked Hermione to be his date for the Yule Ball," Harry said, "she's a Muggle-born!"

Obviously, the man in front of him was a Pure-Blood and a Death Eater. He had seen how Lucius Malfoy looked at his friend last summer, and he couldn't imagine this man wanting to have anything to do with his friend.

"I have to admit, sweet Hermione is an enigma I would love to unravel. But, alas, I will have to wait for a few more weeks before I am able to make her come to my house. What?" he asked, apparently amused by Harry's face, "you don't really think you'll be here to stop her from coming to her boyfriend's for the holidays? You _do_ understand that tonight is the night you die, right, Potter?"

Of course, he had, he was not stupid, but that disgusting excuse for a man was openly admitting that he... Merlin, no, he did not even want to know what he was planning for Hermione, that was just creepy. He had to warn her, but how?

"Hurry!" a high, cold voice interrupted. The Death Eater looked away from Harry, gazing at the old man who hadn't moved from his place.

"Yes, Master," he answered hurriedly. "You," he spat, talking to the old man – a Muggle, Harry realized, _the Muggle!_ – "come here!"

No, no, no! Harry chanted in his head like a prayer, _no no no!_

* * *

Barty Crouch Junior had not changed much, Rita thought once the shock had passed. He looked older, yes, but she would have recognized that face everywhere, and she knew that the man in front of her was the same man she had last seen some thirteen years ago, during a trial conducted by Crouch Senior himself. A tiny voice in her head was telling her that discovering how Junior had been able to fake his own death was something that would boost her professional career, but her inner Slytherin was warning her that she could not, under any circumstances, be seen by him. And, listening to the conversation between Crouch Junior and Potter, she knew that it was true. The man had taken the boy here to kill him, and she knew enough about life sacrifice rituals to understand that it would be no ordinary murder. The only question was who would benefit from the sacrifice but, because of the situation, she could only think of one person, and she did not like that idea at all. 

A cold, deadly voice interrupted the Death Eater, and her worst fears were confirmed. She suddenly remembered the rumors that she had heard a few years ago, regarding a certain Professor Quirrell and the Philosopher Stone. She had thought they were stupid, invented by people who worshipped Potter and only wanted him to face his great enemy once again, but now, looking at Barty Crouch standing near the gigantic cauldron, a dagger in his hand, she wondered if she had not been extremely wrong. Her instinct was telling her that something terrible was about to happen, something that could mean her death if she was discovered, and that she should leave as soon as possible, but she could not bring herself to move. Whether it was because of her injuries or because of the indescribable fear that had overwhelmed her, she did not know, so she stood, frozen, as the ritual began. 

The old Muggle had left his place to stand near the cauldron, and she watched as he opened the small package he was carrying and revealed what was inside. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, she thought, as her distorted eyes observed the _thing_ that was now being lowered in the cauldron. Her first thought was that it was a child, but she quickly realized that the ugly, twisted creature could not be human at all. Deep inside, she knew that neither Magic nor Nature would allow such a monstrosity to exist. There was a distinct splash and she felt a wave of relief. The creature had been plunged into boiling water, there was no way it could survive, right? Crouch Junior was talking, now, and she tried to ignore the buzzing feeling that had returned in her head to listen to him.

“Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!”

A deep sound came from the tomb that supported Potter's body, and a small cloud of dust rose from its inside, before falling into the cauldron. There was a loud hiss, and sparks exploded. She shivered. That sound was not natural. At all. 

Crouch was standing near the cauldron again, and this time, he held his left arm above it. Wait, he wasn't going to do that, was he? The man was grinning widely as he spoke, the dagger firmly held in his hand. She tried to close her eyes, before remembering that she could not.

“Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master!”

Crouch Junior quickly cut the flesh of his arm, and a sickening splash was heard a few seconds later. Potter threw up. The Death Eater cauterized his wound and took a deep breath, before turning to the boy who stood behind him. _He really is going to kill him_ , she thought in terror, and this time, she found the strength to move. She couldn't just stand here and let him die! But Barty Junior was now in front of Potter, and he was holding the dagger in front of the boy's face. _Too slow_ , she thought, _I'm being too slow!_ However, Crouch Junior dropped the dagger on Potter's right arm and made a small cut, collecting his blood in a glass vial before putting its content inside of the simmering cauldron. This time, diamonds sparks exploded from its inside, and the place was suddenly filled with so much light that she was blinded for a few minutes.

When the sparks finally ended, she saw that a dense fog was completely hiding the cauldron and its surroundings. The fog began to lift, and she was able to distinguish Crouch's and the Muggle's silhouettes. The huge container was almost visible, now, and that's when she finally saw it.

The huge, dark shadow, slowly rising from the depths of the cauldron.

* * *

Severus had been standing with the three Aurors, Igor, Dumbledore and the Black brothers at Potter's and Krum's last known location, looking at the single shoe that was left, when the first wave of pain hit him. He almost fell to his knees and bit his tongue, trying to ignore the sudden feeling of agony coming from his Mark. In front of him, Igor let out a hoarse scream before collapsing on the ground, his hand clutched around the arm where his own Mark had been branded. 

"Severus, are you alright my boy?" Dumbledore asked, apparently worried. But Severus couldn't have moved a single finger if he had wanted to, so he ignored the old man, too concerned by the atrocious burn that had begun spreading throughout his entire body. 

Igor was sobbing loudly, now, and Severus wondered how long he would be able to resist himself. Pain, he could usually deal with, but this was worse than everything he had ever experienced, and that included multiple sessions of the Cruciatus Curse. Finally, his knees gave up and he hit the ground loudly, unable to put his arms in front of himself and ease the fall. A third wave, worse than the previous ones, hit him, and that was when he completely lost control of his body. He couldn't hear anything but his own screams, couldn't feel anything but the searing pain pulsating from his arm, couldn't think of anything else than how much he just wanted the pain to stop, how much he just wanted to fucking _die_. He screamed, again and again, but it didn't stop the pain, and finally, he just gave up and fell into unconsciousness.

When he woke up, the pain was gone, and he noticed the worried looks on both Dumbledore's and the Black brothers. Behind them, the Aurors were trying to revive Karkaroff, and he saw that Moody had rolled the sleeve of the man's robes and was observing the Mark. His own tattoo felt swollen, and he hissed when he touched his arm. The Mark began burning again, but this time it was not as painful as it had been a few minutes ago, and he recognized the summoning from his Master.

"He's calling us," he told them, and he saw a look of understanding pass between the three men.

* * *

Harry had thought he was going to die when the unknown Death Eater had approached, dagger in the hand, and put it in front of his face. The man had, however, only taken a small sample of his blood, and he had been relieved when he had seen him move away from the tomb. But now, looking at the pale figure that had risen from the cauldron, Harry thought he would have preferred a quick death rather than seeing Voldemort being reborn.

"Robe me," Voldemort said coldly in the Muggle's direction, and the old man hastily unfolded the dark fabric he was still holding, revealing a black set of robes that he pulled over his master's head. Voldemort then stepped out of the cauldron, and the young Death Eater fell on his knees, before reverently presenting a wand to his Master. Voldemort took it and examined it, slowly, before pointing it in Mr. Crouch's direction.

"Crucio," he hissed, and the man immediately collapsed, screaming. Voldemort continued for a while, apparently enjoying the torture, before finally stopping and staring at Harry. Harry stared back and shivered, not able to stop the awful feeling that some unknown insects were now crawling against his bare foot. 

"My Lord..." the Death Eater choked, "you have returned to us!"

Voldemort looked away from Harry and stared at the man that stood there, face against the ground, waiting for his Master to remember him.

"Bartemius," he hissed, "my most devoted, most faithful, servant. You did well."

"Master," Bartemius said, his voice thickened with emotion. "My life is yours."

"Rise," Voldemort said. "And give me your arm. The time has come."

The man rose from his feet, before rolling his sleeve and presenting his Mark to his Master. Voldemort put one long finger on the tattoo, and Harry's had the sudden impression that his scar had once again caught fire.

“How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?” Voldemort whispered, staring at the sky above him. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

The crawling feeling had started again, and Harry tried to move his foot, hoping it would make the horrible sensation pass, before remembering that every inch of his body, except his head, was frozen.

"Ah, look, Harry," Voldemort said, laughing. "My devoted Death Eaters are returning..."

* * *

It had taken her a few agonizing minutes to reach the boy, and now here she was, on his feet, trying to decide how on Earth she was going to transform without being noticed to take them both far away from the graveyard. Voldemort's attention was directed on his followers, but Barty was facing them and watching Potter, and she wondered how quick his reflexes were. Voldemort's speech continued for a few minutes, before he finally turned his attention on the young Death Eater.

"Come, Bartemius, you've earned your reward." 

Barty Crouch left the circle the Death Eaters had created and moved in front of Voldemort, kneeling before him. _NOW_ , Rita thought, and she transformed, grabbing the boy's frozen arm and turning on her heels as quickly as she could.

The last thing she saw before disappearing through the night was the dagger, glowing in the dark.

* * *

"They're at the Hog's, come with a Healer trained in the Dark Arts." The silvery goat disappeared, and Regulus looked at the rest of the group. Except for Dumbledore, no one seemed to know who had sent the message.  


"Whose patronus was that?" Sirius asked in a strangled voice, apparently worried by the urgency of the tone.

"My brother's," the Headmaster answered. "They should be alright until we arrive, Aberforth takes his safety very seriously. Now, there's no time to lose. I'm going to remove the apparition wards for a quarter of a minute, and we'll go to the Hog's. Alastor, I want you to go back to the arena and to alert Minerva and the rest of the staff. Make sure no one looks alarmed, the public is already concerned after what happened to Miss Delacour and Mr. Diggory, and I won't be able to come back for at least fifteen minutes depending on the situation. Try to reassure Mr. and Mrs. Krum as well, and avoid bringing the subject of professor Karkaroff for now. Miss Tonks, Kingsley, if one of you could take professor Karkaroff to the infirmary, I would be extremely grateful for that." The two Aurors looked at Moody before agreeing. "The rest of us will apparate in front of the Hog's Head. Severus, I know this evening has been hard for you, but are you feeling well enough to come with us? I'm afraid that Poppy doesn't possess your knowledge when it comes to healing Dark curses."

The Potion Master nodded slowly, and Dumbledore took his wand in his hand, holding it in front of him and creating a shield. The rest of the group mimicked him. 

"Very well. Now, please focus, I'm going to remove the wards. Are you ready? Three, two, one. Now!"

Regulus and Sirius disappeared together, and soon; they were standing in front of the Hog's Head. A door creaked open, and an old man waved at them.

"Quick, something's wrong with her," he said, moving away from the door to let them come in. 

"Her?" Regulus asked, shocked. "I thought you had found Harry and Viktor Krum!" The rest of his companions had apparently come to the same conclusion and Sirius looked as if he was about to faint.

"Don't worry, I've got Potter," the barman grumbled. "Blondie apparated him in front of my door a few minutes ago. She was totally delirious and kept saying that You-Know-Who was back, and Potter was screaming that some girl was in danger. I don't know how much of what they say is true, but that woman got hit by some dagger in the back, and the wound won't close, so I figured that some sort of nasty spell was involved. There was a tracking spell as well, but it won't work here, and I disabled it as soon as I discovered it," he added. 

"Show me the woman," Severus said sharply, and Aberforth led them to a small bedroom where two people were resting, one on the bed, and the other on a sofa.

"Harry," Sirius screamed, hurrying to his side. "What happened to him?" he asked, when he saw that his Godson was not answering, apparently asleep.

"I gave Potter some Sleeping Draught," the barman said, "and the woman fainted. You know her?"

"It's Skeeter," Regulus answered, dumbfounded. "We saw her disappear too; she must have been able to take Harry with her when she left. But how come she did not bring Krum back as well?" he asked, a bit of dread settling in his stomach. He did not like the Quidditch player, but that did not mean he wanted him dead. And if, as they feared, Harry had been brought to the Dark Lord, Viktor had been eliminated as soon as he had appeared. At least, he hoped it had been the case, a quick death was better than the other alternative.

"I'm afraid we'll have to wait for Mr. Potter or Miss Skeeter to wake up to know what happened," Dumbledore said gently, but Regulus saw that he too thought that Krum had not survived. "Severus, how is Miss Skeeter's wound?"

"I've taken care of it," Severus told them, "but I fear it was already too late, her legs aren't responding. I suppose it's due to the place where the dagger was thrown."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked. "What's the connection between her back and her legs?"

"The spine, Black. If the spine is severed at the wrong place, it can lead to different types of paralysis. In Miss Skeeter's case, her legs. I'm afraid there's not much I can do; we should bring her back to the castle and let Poppy take care of her."

"Very well," Dumbledore said. " We're going to apparate directly into the Hospital Wing. Lord Black, I trust you'll take young Harry with you? Ab, thanks for taking care of them."

"Just keep the rest of your students out of trouble, especially this one," the man answered sharply. "It's not my job to make sure they survive their years in Hogwarts, it's yours."

"We'll make Harry and the rest of the school stay out of danger," Sirius promised, eying Dumbledore skeptically. "Thank you for your time, Aberforth."

* * *

Harry felt wonderful. His head had stopped pounding, and his whole body was relaxed. In fact, he could have continued sleeping if not for the loud voices he could hear in the background. Several people were arguing right next to his bed, and some of them seemed to be furious. 

"My boy was tortured, Dumbledore, _tortured_. How do you explain that?" a man asked angrily.

"Amos, I assure you all the precautions had been taken. No one except the champions entered the maze, Alastor himself saw to it," Dumbledore answered calmly. 

  
"Well obviously, something was wrong with ze wards," a second man interrupted. "My daughter says someone attacked her from behind while she was looking for the Goblet. Or are you saying zat it is one of the other champions that was responsible for what happened? I don't see zis Monsieur Krum here, where is he?"

  
"Are you implying," an angry voice asked, "that my son vas the one torturing them? Viktor is not a Dark Vizard, I assure you that. Me hovever, I can't guarantee you that I von't mind using some _very_ grey spells if you continue insulting him."

There was no answer, and the third man continued. "Dumbledore, I'm going to be honest vith you. I came here, thinking that my son vas only participating in a friendly competition betveen schools. Instead, I learned that he vas abducted, and that professor Karkaroff is in the infirmary. I'd like to understand how someone could kidnap my son, and vho vould vant to do such a thing."

"Mr. Karkaroff," Harry heard, and he recognized Sirius' voice, "I'm afraid Viktor was just there at the wrong moment. It was Harry, they wanted, and it appears that your son was with him when he was taken away."

"Are you trying to tell me," Mr. Karkaroff began slowly, "that my son may have been seen as a threat by vhoever kidnapped your Godson, and that he has been...." The man did not finish his sentence, and no one dared to answer. Not far from them, a woman began to cry quietly. _I have to do something,_ Harry thought, _I need to tell them what happened!_

  
Slowly, he opened his eyes, and tried to look around. Someone had taken his glasses and probably put them on the bedside table, but he couldn't find them, and he knocked down a glass of water that had been put there. The sudden noise interrupted the tense conversation, and everyone turned in his direction. The Tournament must have ended, Harry immediately thought, because there were a lot of people in the Hospital wing, including his own friends. He felt his stomach lurch with revulsion when he saw Hermione, remembering the false Krum declaration. There was no time to lose.

"Harry!" the relieved voice of Sirius said. "How do you feel, pup?"

"I... I feel a bit tired," he answered sincerely. "But that doesn't matter," he continued, louder. "we need to hurry! Voldemort is back, and..."

"Harry, Harry, please calm down," Sirius told him, forcing him to stop trying to leave his bed, and helping him lie down again. "We already suspected that this was what happened, and we will take care of that later. What's important for the moment is you. Are you sure you feel alright?"

"I do! Don't get me wrong, everything is still a bit cloudy, but there's no time to lose, some people might be in danger!"

"Excuse me," someone interrupted, "but is this young man trying to tell us that Voldemort is back?"

"He is, Minister," Dumbledore answered. "And if you remember correctly, I already told you after he had disappeared that I suspected he would come back, and I told you again about my suspicions only a few months ago."

"But that's... that's impossible!" Fudge exclaimed. "He's dead, everyone knows that. Dumbledore, with all due respect, I think your champion might be suffering from disillusion."

"I..." Harry began, but he was interrupted by Krum's father.

"Bah," he said, "Impossible or not, real or not, I don't care. Vhat I vant to know is, _vhat happened to my son?_ " 

Everyone looked at the angry man, before turning to Harry.

"Harry," Dumbledore began gently. "I know this might be difficult for you to talk about what happened tonight, but I think we can all agree that we need to understand what happened to you, and how Voldemort came back to life."

Harry turned towards Sirius, who only nodded, looking at him sadly.

"For once I agree with Dumbledore. Can you tell us more about what happened tonight, when you and Krum disappeared from the maze? Do you know who did it? And how?"

Harry took a deep breath before answering. It was going to be difficult to describe what had happened, especially when some people were directly concerned. He looked at Mr. Krum, and then Hermione, wondering how he was going to explain that Viktor might be dead, and that a Death Eater had been impersonating him since last October. Slowly he began recounting the night's events, keeping his eyes glued to his hands so that he did not have to witness everyone's reaction. Being forced to relive everything was very hard, and he felt his voice quiver and his body shiver more than once, but after a while it stopped gradually, and when he finally concluded his story, he felt slightly relieved. That feeling did not last long, however, because the Minister, as well as Dumbledore, Mr. Krum, and Moody, all began questioning him at the same time. 

"Do. Not. Upset. My. Patient," the icy tone of Mrs. Pomfrey interrupted. "You are allowed to stay in my ward because I said so, but do remember that I will not hesitate to kick everyone out if you do not behave properly. Mr. Potter just had to go through a traumatic event again, and only the gravity of it makes that each of you will be allowed one question. Minister, would you like to... Miss Granger," she suddenly said, "are you alright, my dear?"

  
Hermione had gone very pale, and she was trembling so hard that Regulus had to held her to help her stand correctly.

"I... I don't think I am," she said in a small voice. "I can't believe that Viktor... that this man... that he said that... Oh my God," she exclaimed, before bursting into tears in Regulus' arms. The young man tightened his grasp around her and began muttering reassuring words, while Mrs. Pomfrey helped her lie down on the nearest bed before conjuring a Calming Draught. Ron followed them, and sat on Hermione's bed, patting her back awkwardly.

  
"I would have thought this young person would have more sense than believing this preposterous story," Cornelius Fudge said, eying Hermione sceptically. "This boy clearly invented everything, although I'm not sure I understand why. I suppose being the Chosen One was not enough for him, and the fact that he could not win the Tournament made him create some story to attract everyone's attention. Saying that You-Know-Who is back is a really bad joke, and I won't accept anyone spouting nonsense and terrorizing the rest of the population just because this could make the headlines."

"With all due respect, Minister, I have proof that Mr. Potter is, indeed, saying the truth," Snape said, rolling his sleeve and showing his forearm to Fudge. The man's face immediately turned grey.

"Don't you dare show me that... that thing," he stammered, moving back to the Hospital doors. "I don't know what you think you're doing, Dumbledore, but I won't let you continue," he said angrily, before opening the doors and leaving.

"Dumbledore," Amos Diggory asked, "don't you think the Minister may be right? Look at the boy, he doesn't seem to be alright, does he?"

"Fudge is an imbecile, and if you believe him, you are one too," Moody declared, before turning back to Harry. "Tell me, boy, can you describe the Death Eater you saw?"

Harry immediately complied, and after he was done, most of the adults were looking concerned.

"Are you sure of yourself, boy?" Moody asked again. "Because the man you just described reminds me of..."

"Barty Crouch Junior," a woman interrupted, not far away from Harry's bed. He turned his head on his right, and saw that Rita Skeeter was finally awake. She had propped herself on her forearms and was looking at them tiredly. 

  
"You sure it was him?" Moody asked again. "You saw his face?" 

"One hundred percent positive," she replied dryly. "He had aged a bit, but apart from that he still looked the same."

"Interesting. And you said that Crouch Senior and the elf were there as well, right Potter?"

"Yes."

"Well, the only explanation for Junior being alive is that his father helped him out of Azkaban before he 'died'. I don't know how he did it, but that doesn't matter now. Junior brought You-Know-Who back, and we need to be prepared when he decides to strike."

"Excuse-me," Mr. Krum interrupted for the second time, "but I think ve are forgetting the fact that my son is still missing. If he vas not in the maze, vhere is he?"

Everyone, including Moddy, looked a bit ashamed by the comment.

"There is a chance for your son to be alive," Snape finally said, breaking the silence. "If Barty Crouch used Polyjuice, then he needed his hairs, and the potion does not work if the donor is dead. However, I have no idea where he can be."

"In Crouch's room, obviously," Moody answered. "Bastard only had to enlarge a trunk and keep him there. Come with me," he barked at Mr. Krum, and both men immediately left the Hospital Wing, followed by an anxious looking Mrs. Krum. 

"Well," Dumbledore said after a while, "I think it is time for me to leave, I need to warn the Heads of what happened, and ask them to reassure the students."

Dumbledore bid his goodbye to everyone, renewing his apologies to the champions' parents, before going to Hermione's bed and saying something that brought a ghost of a smile on her face. He then stopped at Rita Skeeter's side and thanked her for her intervention, before asking her to send him a copy of her last book ( _Peter Pettigrew, the man that rated out his best friends_ ) and insisting to have it signed. Finally, he approached Harry, a sad smile on his face, and told him that he hoped he would get better soon. He shook hands with Remus and Sirius, exchanging a few words with them before turning to Mrs. Pomfrey.

"Poppy, I'll come back in a few hours. Please keep me updated about your patient's health. Severus, would you follow me? We still have a lot to do before you leave." 

Harry saw his professor exchange a glance with Sirius, and he had the bad feeling that the man's evening was not going to be pleasant at all, especially if Dumbledore asked him to go to Voldemort's side. The doors closed behind the two men, and Sirius let out a shaky breath. Remus put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, and Harry realized how hard the evening must have been for him. He moved a little and sat more comfortably against the frame of the bed, quietly observing the rest of the room. He was relieved to see that Hermione looked better, and he was pretty sure that it was due to Ron and Regulus taking turns to tell her bad jokes. The Delacours and Diggorys were now sitting next to their children's bed, quietly waiting for something to happen, and professor Karkaroff was still sound asleep. At last, he turned his head in Rita Skeeter's direction, and saw that her face had grown hard. She looked like she was trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry, dear," he heard Mrs. Pomfrey say, "but I wasn't able to repair all the damaged nerves correctly. Can you feel my hand on your legs?"

"Yes."

"And now?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least there is no loss of sensibility, that's a good sign. We'll have to transfer you to St Mungo so that an expert can examine you, but I can't guarantee they'll be able to help you. I fear it's too late for that."

"I see," Rita Skeeter said slowly, her voice quivering a little. "Thank you for what you did, Mrs. Pomfrey. I'll wait for the transfer, then."

The Matron left to check on her other patients, and Rita Skeeter let out a loud sigh, falling back on her bed and closing her eyes. Harry looked at the woman for a few seconds, before making his mind.

"Mrs. Skeeter?" he called quietly, trying to get her attention. "Mrs. Skeeter?" The woman turned her head and looked at him quizzically. 

"Yes, Harry dear?"

"I wanted to thank you for what you did for me tonight," he told her sincerely. "I wouldn't be there if not for you. I'm really sorry for your legs, if there's anything I can do for you, please tell me. I'll even agree to give you an interview, if you want," he added, hoping it would make her happier.

"That's sweet of you," she said finally. "Don't worry for me, Harry. I knew the risks, and I don't regret taking them. As for an interview with you, I would gladly accept if I thought it could be published. However, I heard Fudge's reaction, and I'm sure the Prophet won't allow me to publish any article to warn my readers about You-Know-Who's return."

"Anyway, if there's anything else, please tell me," Harry insisted.

"Yes," Sirius interrupted. "Tell us. The Houses of Black and Potter are both in your debt."

"Well," Rita Skeeter admitted, looking slightly embarrassed, "there might be something you could do for me. I don't know if Barty recognized me, but I'm a very popular woman, and I know at least half of the men that were presents at You-Know-Who's side this evening."

"You think you might be attacked?" Sirius asked gravely.

"Yes, and if the Minister does not believe what happened tonight, any request that I made for an Auror to take care of my security will be denied. At least, until something happens," she concluded grimily. 

That had Sirius think for a while, before he finally continued.

"Then, Mrs. Skeeter, allow me to invite you to our house. We'll arrange for the healers to come to you directly, so that you are not attacked during your stay at St Mungo."

If Rita Skeeter was shocked by his declaration, she did not let it show on her face. Instead, she answered, sounding almost amused.

"That is very generous of you, Lord Black. I accept your offer."

  
"You should accept Harry's interview as well," Remus said, "because I know a newspaper that will accept to publish your story. However, let me warn you that it's a bit, hum... eccentric."

* * *

  
Barty looked at the man crawling away from his Master with mixed feelings. He hated the other Death Eaters, mostly because they were all cowards and had changed sides as soon as the Dark Lord had disappeared, but he knew that they feared their Master too much to betray him again. Snape, however, was a special case. He had been a spy during the war and seemed to have grown closer to Dumbledore since then. He was extremely cunning and resourceful, and Barty did not like that. However, the Dark Lord had tortured him for a good hour, before finally concluding that he was on their side. He had ordered him to continue spying on Dumbledore, as well as on Potter and his friends, before telling him to go back to the castle and report to his 'other Master'. Barty should have been satisfied, but his instincts were telling him to be wary of the man.

  
"Bartemius," the Dark Lord said, "is the Mudblood the girl you were telling me about?"

  
"She is, Master. I know her blood is not pure, but I believe she could be an asset to our cause, if only you would allow me to take her by my side."

  
"Bring her to me, and we'll see about that. But do not worry, Bartemius. She'll be yours, whether or not she is useful to me."

  
"Thank you, Master," Barty answered respectfully, before leaving his side. "I'll make sure to do as you wish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD, I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR AGES TO POST THIS CHAPTER!
> 
> Tell me, what was the look on your face when you realized who Barty was, honestly???? I've had this idea since chapter 5 maybe, and it was SO hard to write everything, and answer to your comments, without making anyone suspicious!! If you reread the earlier chapters and take a look at Hermione's and "Viktor's" interactions, or just at Barty's thought, you'll see that Barty could have been Viktor (I hope, at least):
> 
> \- First interaction: he helps her with the elves (he really liked Winky, and that's why he decided to help Hermione)  
> \- During the first task, Viktor/Barty is the one who "accidentally" said that Harry was good on a broom when they were reading books about the dragons.  
> \- The part with Moody giving her the book about Merpeople & the bubble-Head was a red herring!
> 
> I WANT COMMENTS!! I never ask for them, but I NEED to know what you thought!!!! Are you angry? Impressed? Both? Do you want to pledge your first born child to me? Or kill mine?
> 
> ________
> 
> Please, note that I've updated the tags to better fit the story, one of them is dubious consent, I think you'll understand it is because of Hermione's "relationship" with Viktor/Barty! Of course, nothing more than a few kisses happened between them (you can be a bit mad, but still a gentleman when you think the lady deserves it), but well, she obviously was not very comfortable when she learned the truth. I wouldn't be either.
> 
> ________
> 
> A few comments about what happened / what I wrote, in case you wondered:  
> \- I don't remember if I said that, but Barty modified the map so that his real name would be replaced by Viktor's, and that Viktor's was not visible on the map. Plot, you know.  
> \- "Merlin, Circe and Salazar" is my version of the expression "Jesus, Mary, Joseph". I'm not sure it's commonly used in English, but well.  
> \- Viktor/Barty removed the tracking spell from Harry and himself before leaving the maze,  
> \- Winky is the elf "Viktor" was talking about, and she is his elf now,  
> \- Harry recognized Barty's voice,  
> \- Every wave of pain Severus felt correspond to each "ingredient" being thrown into the cauldron,  
> \- The feeling Harry gets is Rita on his foot,  
> \- No one put anti-apparition wards, because the Death Eaters had to come, and Harry cannot apparate,  
> \- Priore incantato did not happen,  
> \- Barty initially approached Hermione because he thought he could learn some things about Harry.
> 
> Voilà!
> 
> I'm proud of every chapter I write, but this was is my favourite so far! I really hope you enjoyed it, and don't worry, I still got a few surprises for you ;)  
> See you in two weeks \o/
> 
> Krummbein


	18. Mother Knows Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: new tag added > mention of torture.
> 
> _____________
> 
> Hi, what's up?
> 
> I've been working for two weeks, now, and I'm less tired that at the beginning of the month! I haven't been able to write a single line, but I hope next week will be better. I'm sorry I haven't been able to answer to your comments, hope you won't hate me too much!
> 
> I wanted to share with you an amazing account I found while looking for HP portraits :  
> https://www.deviantart.com/upthehillart/gallery/59616457/hp-portraits  
> I just love it, I can perfectly picture them as the characters in this story!!
> 
> And this... https://www.deviantart.com/upthehillart/art/Regulus-Black-609058291 found it just after I had read Oblivion, and it is just sooooo perfect *-* 
> 
> And this one, for the Black Brothers reunion? I can totally see it : https://www.deviantart.com/upthehillart/art/hey-brother-787044021
> 
> What do you think? Any favourite art account??
> 
> Krummbein

She had known for months that this was going to happen, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of her husband when he came back from the meeting. The anxious but proud wizard that had left a few hours earlier was gone and had been replaced by a more terrified, a more disgraced version. It was clear that he had been tortured for a while, and she noticed, horrified, that some of his wounds seemed to have been hastily cauterized before being reopened. When he saw her, he begged her, _begged her_ , to help him take out his clothes, and the appalling smell coming from him made her realize that he must have soiled them. Fighting her disgust, she helped him get into the tube and vanished everything he was wearing, before hastily casting as much hot water as she could to clean him superficially. Finally, she helped him lie down and poured as many bath salts as she could before leaving the bathroom, telling him that she would come back soon.

Fighting the tears that were threatening to leave her eyes, she summoned an elf and asked for some healing potions to be brought to her husband. She took a few minutes to compose herself and went back to the bathroom. Lucius had sunk deep into the water, and she could see that the healing potions had already taken effects. However, there were still a lot of bruises and deep cuts everywhere on his body, and she shivered, wondering how long he had had to endure his Master's wrath.

"How do you feel?" she asked quietly.

"Better," he muttered with a raspy voice. "He was angry, Cissa, so angry when I told him about the Diary... I've never seen him like this, I swear. And his face! I don't know if it has anything to do with the ritual he performed to get his body back, but... He doesn't look human anymore. He's a monster. A real monster, but _so much more powerful than before_!" he exclaimed a bit louder, and a thin smile trickling across his lips.

Narcissa thought her heart might stop when she heard the last part of his sentence. Her husband had been tortured, humiliated, almost beaten to death, and yet he was still willing to follow the Dark Lord?

"We need to gain his trust back, my love," he continued, "and soon. He only listens to Crouch, now, and..."

"Crouch?" she asked, surprised. " _Barty Crouch?_ "

"Junior," her husband clarified. "It seems than he did not die in Azkaban, after all, which is a shame, really. He took my place as our Lord's right hand, and I need to get my rank back if I want Draco to have a position worthy of his status."

She blanched.

"You want Draco to join Him? After what happened tonight?"

"Of course," he answered, looking confused at her questions. "My life is the Dark Lord's, why would it be different for my son's?"

"He's too young!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking because of the emotion. "He's only fourteen, what use would he be to the Dark Lord?" she asked, hoping her weak arguments would be enough to convince him.

"You're too sensitive," he said, sounding annoyed. "Draco is not a child anymore, he's almost a man now. In less than three years, he will be seventeen, and he will join the Death Eaters as I did before him. It was always going to be the case, whether you like it or not."

She did not answer, knowing he would not listen to her pleadings. Rising from the seat she had taken next to the bathtub, she left in a hurry, thinking rapidly. She would not let her only child join a man who tortured his followers like that, no matter how powerful he was. She was Draco's mother, and she knew better than to let him have that kind of life.

* * *

Severus joints were still aching when he arrived at the Burrow, and he regretted not taking a potion to ease the pain before he left. He didn't need that in addition to the bad headache he knew he would have when he left the house. The Order of the Phoenix was holding a meeting for the first time in more than ten years, and Severus had the feeling it would not be a happy one. He stepped out of the floo and winced internally. Dumbledore had told him the former members had been trying to get new recruits for months, but it seemed that whoever had been entrusted with that task had not been very successful.

Still, there were some nice additions, like Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks (what was she doing here?), Minerva, and even Augusta Longbottom (he had seen the woman hex a pickpocket less than six months ago and had to admit she might be better with a wand that half of the people in the room). However, the only Weasley that could be useful was Bill, provided that he came back to England permanently, and he wasn't sure that either Hestia Jones or Emmeline Vance would be valuable to the cause, as neither of them had high ranked posts at the Ministry. Severus could not help but notice that Percy Weasley was absent from the gathering. Was it because he was not free at the moment, or because he had not wanted to accept the invitation? Judging by Molly's sour-looking face, he supposed it was the latter.

A few heads turned in his direction when he took a seat near the door, but he ignored them all, only arching an eyebrow when he caught Tonk's glance. _Why are you here?_ He tried to ask non-verbally, and he saw her shrug before discreetly nodding toward Moody. Ah, yes, the former Auror must have convinced her to come. Well, having an ally might prove handy at some point, and maybe she would consider some information he had not when debriefing at Grimmauld Place. Which reminded him, Regulus had not told him exactly when he was supposed to come by to see Potter. He would have to ask him once he was back.

"My friends, welcome," the voice of Dumbledore was soft, but everyone immediately stopped talking, and the Headmaster resumed. "Tonight, is the first time we are reunited in more than ten years, and I have to admit I wish it wouldn't have to happen. Alas, as we feared when we heard of Lord's Voldemort demise all those years ago, he has risen again, and this time it seems, more determined than ever to take over Wizarding Britain."

There were a few hisses here and there during Dumbledore's speech, but no one interrupted him. They must have already known what tonight's reunion was about, Severus thought. After all, the Order of the Phoenix had been created to fight against the Dark Lord, an impromptu reunion of the old gang would not be to celebrate the end of the school year.

"I asked you to come here tonight, because I know you are all esteemed and trusted members of our society," Dumbledore continued. "And because I know that you will accept to join me, once again, in my fight against Voldemort's race to power. If, however, I was mistaken, and you don't think you are up to the task, I will perfectly understand, and invite you to leave." No one moved, and Dumbledore seemed satisfied. "Very well. Let us begin with what information I was able to gather during the last twenty-four hours since Voldemort's return."

Severus tried not to protest. _He_ had been the one to provide most of the information, and the old goat was giving him no credit for it. Had he already forgotten that Severus had spent one hour being tortured and was still not completely healed? Be a spy, they said...

"When he first disappeared, Voldemort lost his human body and became incorporeal. Knowing he would be tracked by the Aurors, and that he would not be able to get a new body by himself, he left for Albania, patiently waiting for one of his followers to come and help him. As we all know, most of them thought he had perished and did not even try to find him. A few of them attempted to find his trail, resulting in the loss of two of our members when we thought the war was won," he nodded solemnly in Augusta's direction, "but apart from that, no other attempt was done, and Lord Voldemort could have remained where he was if not for a young man, who had obtained the post of teacher at Hogwarts. I won't give you the details of what happened, because most of you are familiar with them, and we have a lot to discuss. I will say, however, that this unsuccessful adventure did, at least, one thing: spread the rumours that Voldemort was, undeniably, not dead. However, only a few of his followers accepted that it was the truth. Indeed, if their Master had tried to come back, why had he not made contact with them? Still, at least one of them believed the rumours, and he's the reason we are here today. Twenty-four hours ago, Barty Crouch Junior abducted Harry Potter and used his blood in a ritual that gave Lord Voldemort a new body. We were already lucky when young Harry told us a few months ago that Voldemort was trying to get back, but we were luckier that he survived his encounter with him and came back to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore paused for a few seconds, and Severus couldn't help but notice that he had not mentioned the Horcruxes, nor Rita Skeeter's intervention. Was he really going to tell them everything he had reported?

A few people had gasped at the mention of the Death Eater, and Dumbledore gave further information. "I know it seems impossible, but I have the confirmation that Barty Crouch Junior is indeed alive, and free from Azkaban. I also have the proof that Barty Crouch Senior and his former elf were both present during Voldemort's resurrection, and it seems that Barty Senior is being held prisoner under the imperius curse." Severus heard Arthur Weasley gasp loudly, and saw him move towards his wife and begin talking rapidly in a worried tone. Ah, yes, Percy Weasley had been working with Crouch for over a year, that did not sound good at all.

"We're not sure how Barty Junior managed to escape Azkaban, but we know that he was able to enter the Tournament at the beginning of the school year under Viktor Krum's identity, using Polyjuice potion. The real Viktor Krum was found yesterday and is being nursed at the Hospital Wing as we speak, and I'm quite happy to tell you that, apart from that, no other student has been harmed severely."

_A nice way to avoid speaking of the fact that the other champions were crucioed by Crouch, but without denying it happened,_ Severus thought darkly. Both students had been tortured less than a minute, so they would have no sequel at all. He had to admit it, Dumbledore knew perfectly what he was doing.

"Finally, after I had listened to Harry's story, I was able to get some more indications about Voldemort's plan for the future."

_Thank you, Severus, thank you for sacrificing your sanity as well as your dignity to obtain that information. Really, I don't know what I would do without you._

"I suppose you already realized it, but Harry was not supposed to outlive yesterday's encounter, no. His survival would have meant that _I_ learned that Voldemort was back, and that is not something he wants, at least not for now. For the moment, he needs things to be quiet, so that he can rally his former minions and begin infiltrating the Ministry. Once he's done, he plans to make a coup and to replace Fudge so that he can control the country. Only after that, will he make his comeback."

Dumbledore paused, once again, and observed the room. The atmosphere was tense, and Severus suspected they were all waiting for him to reveal his plan.

"At the moment, everything is not clear, but I estimate that we have a time frame of one, maybe two years, before he gets to this stage. During that time, I will of course try everything in my power to prevent him from getting what he wants, but I am only one man and I won't be able to do that alone. I think you understand, now, why I decided that the members of the Order of the Phoenix had to be reunited once again. I have already planned our first steps, and I need to be sure. Are you still willing to help me?"

Towards the end of his speech, Dumbledore's voice had grown louder and louder, and Severus saw that the rest of the group looked more and more determined. So, when he finally asked, no one refused.

* * *

It had been roughly forty-eight hours since Regulus had last seen Severus, but it felt like years. He had not heard from him, apart from a brief message saying that he had survived his encounter with the Dark Lord, and even that had not helped him stop worrying for his friend. He remembered the torture sessions quite well, and he knew Severus would have to suffer twice more because of his status as a spy. However, when he opened the door of his chamber, Severus seemed to be perfectly alright, and Regulus suspected he had needed a dozen different potions to look that way.

"You're late," his friend greeted him, motioning for him to enter the room.

"Hermione gave me a summary of Dumbledore's speech this morning, it took longer than I anticipated."

"Of course, it's Granger you're talking about. Did something catch your attention?"

"Most of the students did not seem to believe that the Dark Lord was back, and I don't think they will, judging by Fudge's attitude. It seems that the Minister will do anything in his power to discredit Dumbledore, as well as Harry."

"Ah, yes, Potter. I think he regretted leaving the infirmary, did he not?"

"He did. I don't know what Dumbledore is playing at, drawing everyone's attention on him."

"Make everyone remember that Potter is the Chosen One, of course. The Order of the Phoenix is one thing, but the support of the whole country is better. And, when the time comes for Harry to fight the Dark Lord and his followers – assuming that I was correct concerning the Prophecy – Dumbledore will need as many allies as possible."

"I see," Regulus said, "that's clever."

"It is. Which is also why we should take care of that Prophecy as soon as we can."

"We'll mention that at the next meeting. Speaking of which, how was yours with the Order?"

"Not very exciting. Tonks was there, by the way, I think Moody forced her to come. Anyway, not much happened, except for the fact that Moody won't stay at Hogwarts next year, and that Dumbledore refused – once again – my application for the DADA post. I tried to argue that, with the Dark Lord being back, the children would need to be prepared, but the old git said that none of them would need to be in a duel if we were fast enough to kill the Dark Lord."

"Great, remind me to tell Sirius that we need to add extra duelling lessons for them."

"I will. By the way, I will need to examine Potter in order to see if what he has is, indeed, a Horcrux. When do you think I should come?"

"Honestly, I think the sooner it's done, the better. Speaking of which, I've been wondering... Do you think that, now that he has a body, the Dark Lord will feel anything when we destroy a Horcrux?"

Severus seemed to think for the moment, before answering.

"I don't think he will, honestly. His soul is already too damaged, and his body is not totally human. We might be able to wait for the third Horcrux, which should be easy because we still don't have it, but not for removing whatever Potter has in his head."

"You're right, yes. Anyway, that's not something we can control, we'll just have to see what happens."

"Indeed."

They stopped talking for a while, before Regulus remembered the question he had had earlier.

"Have you heard from Narcissa since your... encounter with the Dark Lord?"

If he was right, every Death Eater had been tortured, and Lucius must have suffered more than some because of the loss of the Diary.

"I have not. However, let me tell you that the sight of Lucius must not have been pleasant when he came back home. He was limping when I saw him leave, and there was a trail of blood behind him."

Regulus winced. He did not dare to imagine Severus' state, but knew he wouldn't want to talk about it had he been in his place.

"Well, I better go," Regulus said, moving towards the door. "I need to be at the Tower when the elves take the luggage to the train."

"Have a nice journey," Severus said ironically. "Owl me so that I know when to come."

* * *

Going back home was extremely awkward. Everywhere he went, Harry could see people openly pointing at him, commenting every movement he made, and the whispers followed him as he boarded the Hogwarts Express, finally stopping when Ron closed the door of the compartment they had found.

"Merlin, have they no respect? What was Dumbledore thinking when he said you had fought You-Know-Who," his friend exclaimed, frustrated.

"I'd rather not think of Dumbledore," Harry said, grimacing. "He came by this morning and tried to make me convince Sirius to enter his Order."

"Really?" Regulus, who had changed back from his animagus form and was stretching, asked. "He will be interested in knowing that, I think. Did he mention anything else?"

"Not that I can think of," Harry answered. "When I said I would try, he only smiled and told me to enjoy my holidays. Ah, wait, he asked me if my scar was still hurting me."

"I see..." Regulus replied. To Harry's dismay, he said nothing else. He exchanged a quick glance with Hermione and Ron. Soon, he knew, they might have some answers concerning this topic. "Well, I think you do need a bit of holiday, Harry. As do you, Hermione," he said, looking at their friend. Hermione managed a quick smile, but none of them were fooled by her attempt, and Regulus got her closer to him. She leaned against him, closing her eyes, and Harry tried to hide his smile. Maybe something good would come from the recent events.

"Say, Harry, is it true what I heard?" Ron asked, interrupted him.

"What is?"

"I heard the Durmstrang students talk to McGonagall this morning, they said Karkaroff had disappeared."

At that, Regulus' head rose, and he quirked his eyebrows.

"Is that true?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Mrs. Pomfrey was beside herself, she said he should have stayed because he was not totally healed. Do you think he left because Voldemort is back?"

"Oh, yes," Regulus answered grimly. "Severus told me he didn’t want to go back to him, and he was pretty sure he would flee as soon as he felt the Mark."

"Will he be able to escape him?" Ron asked.

"No. Maybe he will avoid him for a few months, but the Dark Lord will find him in the end. The only way for him to stay alive is to get rid of the Mark, and the Dark Lord made sure that it was more difficult than just cutting your own arm."

"Good thing you don't have yours anymore," Ron answered, looking a bit uneasy.

"Yeah, good thing," Regulus said, looking at Hermione once more. "I think we should drop the subject for..."

There was a loud knock, and they looked at each other quizzically. A few seconds later, Ginny's voice was heard.

"Hey, can you open the door? Why do you need to close it anyway?"

Regulus transformed back in Crookshanks, and Ron rose from his seat, before cancelling the charms on the door. He opened it slowly, and glanced at Harry before letting his sister in. Ginny entered nonchalantly, eyeing everyone, before taking the seat next to Harry.

"Sooooo, what's up?" she asked, apparently trying to ignore the tense atmosphere.

"Gin', what are you doing here?" Ron asked.

"I just wanted to check on Harry, Ron, do you have something against that?"

"You saw him this morning."

"So?" she asked innocently. "Maybe I wasn't sure he was fine."

"Don't worry about me," Harry cut in, "I'm feeling perfectly alright."

"Are you really sure? I think I'll stay here just in case something goes wrong. I know a few healing spells; it always comes handy when you live with Fred and George."

"Ginny," Ron said, annoyed, "stop playing games with us. Harry is perfectly fine, and you know that. What. Do. You. Want?"

The redheaded straightened up and looked directly at her brother, a serious look on her face.

"I want in."

"In?" Ron asked. "In, what?"

"In your study group, obviously", Ginny answered, shrugging. "What, you really thought no one would see that the three of you left the Tower almost every night? That no one would notice that you and Harry were now doing your homework, instead of playing Exploding Snap? That you are doing above average in DADA? Dean told me Moody actually complimented _you,_ Ron. I'm not stupid, I know that Harry's Godfather told him to train for the Tournament, and I know that you two benefited from whatever lessons he had. And I know that, with Voldemort back, the lessons are only going to get harder. I want to do my part. I want to fight. And I need proper training. I want to join you, and to learn more. Moody won't be there next year, and who knows what kind of incompetent teacher we will have. I'm good with a wand, and I could be an asset to you if only you accepted to let me in. So, what do you think?" 

Ron looked like he was thinking for a while, but Harry knew he was instead looking at Regulus, waiting for an answer. Slowly, the giant half-Kneazle shook his head, and Ron sighed.

"We can't, Ginny, it's too dangerous. And, besides, you're way too young to fight."

"Dangerous?" the redheaded asked, furious. " _Dangerous?_ I'll tell you, what's dangerous, _Ronald._ What's dangerous is to think that, because we are only children, no one will target us. Look at Harry. Look at _me_. I was _possessed_ by Voldemort, Ronald, or have you forgotten that? I'm still having nightmares about what happened, and it's been two years. Two. Fucking. Years. I don't want to experience that again. This time, I'm the one making the decisions for myself. And if you don't want to help me, then I'll manage by myself," she concluded dryly. She got up angrily, shooting dark glares before leaving the compartment and slamming the door.

"I think that went rather well," Ron said, staring at the door. "I just hope she won't try to train alone. Honestly, she's just going to hurt herself, and mum will blame me."

* * *

Barty was hidden, discretely observing the students arriving from the platform on the other side of the wall. He had gotten here early, and had made an effort to ignore the Muggles everywhere around him. They were loud and annoying, but he had to tolerate them if he wanted to see Hermione and her family leave the train station. However, she had still not appeared, and he was getting more and more impatient. What could be keeping her? He had already seen the redheaded sidekick and his family leave, and that had been at least _two_ minutes ago. Finally, a movement caught his eyes, and she emerged from the platform, shortly followed by Potter, Lupin and Black. Ah, she must have been saying her goodbyes.

She moved towards a middle-aged couple – her parents, he presumed – but something was bothering Barty. Instead of parting ways with her and leaving, the three wizards were still following her. They arrived in front of the Grangers and, after a few minutes of what seemed to be a polite exchange of greetings and some small talking, Lupin apparated away with Potter, while Black left with the family.

_Shit_ , he thought, _Potter must have warned Black and now, he's going to put wards around their house._

That meant he would have to find another way to get to her, and he did not like the idea at all. He had waited for so long, only to see his hopes being shattered by a fucking Blood Traitor. The idiot thought he was clever? Well, just you wait and see, Black.

* * *

The ride back home had been awkward. Her parents had been tense through the entire journey, and Sirius had tried – and failed – to brighten the atmosphere with extremely poor-taste jokes. Hermione had heard Regulus meow desperately every time Sirius made a new one, and she had silently agreed with him. Sirius Black did not know how to make people laugh. Finally, the excruciating journey ended, and her father parked the car in front of the house. He looked at the porch and frowned, before turning to Sirius.

"Are those people your friends? I think like I've already met the girl," he asked, motioning towards a man and a young woman who seemed to be waiting for them. Hermione recognized Tonks and her father, and silently thanked Sirius for asking them to come. The discussion might be easier with a Muggle-born.

"Yes. Mr. Tonks is my cousin's husband; you met his wife and daughter last summer."

"Ah, indeed," her father said, opening the door, and looking more and more worried.

Hermione left the car and discretely opened Regulus' basket. She saw him go into the garden, before emerging from behind a tree a few seconds later.

"Ah", Sirius said, a bit too loudly to Hermione's taste. "I see that my brother got here in time too! Now, I hope you won't mind if we go directly into your leaving room, Mr. and Mrs. Granger? We have a lot to talk about."

Her parents reluctantly agreed, and Hermione braced herself for the impending talk. This would not be easy.

* * *

A few hours later, Hermione's parents were both livid, and her mother slowly raised his head in her direction, looking betrayed.

"All those years, Hermione, all those years, and you never said _anything?_ "

"I wanted to, mum," she said with a small voice, "but you wouldn't have understood. You're not part of that world, and..."

"Do you really think we need to be part of your world to understand what was happening?" she asked again, and Hermione immediately dropped her head and stared at her feet, ashamed. "All this nonsense stops now," her mother said angrily. "I wasn't keen on letting you go to that school, but I won't make the same mistake twice. This Hogwarts is not safe, and I won't let you go back now that there's a... a _paedophile_ after you. We'll find you a nice school, and you'll finish the rest of your education closer to us."

"You can't do that!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified. "Mum, you don't understand, I _need_ to go back. Not only because of Harry, but also because I can't leave my magical education unfinished!"

"Hermione, darling. I'm your mother, and I know better than to let you go back to that pathetic excuse for a school. And, besides, you've already learned enough, have you not? You know how to use your witchy powers, so why do you need to go back there? Once you're done with secondary school, you'll be free to find a perfectly normal college, a perfectly normal job, and to have a perfectly normal husband."

Regulus suddenly began coughing violently, and everyone turned in his direction. Sirius conjured him a glass of water and he drank it, before addressing her mother.

"If I may, Mrs. Granger," he said, his voice still a bit hoarse, "We can't let you do that, if only for Hermione's sake. Witches and wizards need to use their magic freely, and Hermione won't be able to do that if she's not in Hogwarts. Underage magic with no supervision is not authorized by our government, and forcing Hermione to wait three years to practice would result in her magic trying to escape. If that were to happen, your daughter would suffer a lot and might even accidentally harm you."

"Well then," her mother said with pursed lips, "there are other schools, aren't they? Hermione mention one in France."

"Ahem, yes, but..."

"Then, it's settled. We sell the practice and move next to that school. Would that be alright for her?"

"With all due respect, Mrs. Granger," Ted Tonks interrupted, "I think you don't fully understand the situation. Your daughter _is_ in danger, because of her status, and the fact that she attracted a Death Eater's attention, but taking her out of Hogwarts will only worsen everything. I agree when you say that the security at school may have been... hazardous, during those last three or four years, but don't forget that the castle is still the safest place where she can be. If you decide to move to France, Barty Crouch Junior, or whoever he sends, will easily track you down, and we won't be able to help you because you are too far from us. The French government won't be able to assist you, and won't want to either. Our own government doesn't think You-Know-Who is back, so well... Anyway, if you stay here, my daughter will put wards around your house, your car and even your practice, and we will be alerted if someone who is not keyed in tries to enter the perimeter. We don't think anyone will try to get to you when your daughter is away at school but, during this summer, you are in danger too. If you stay here, we will also be able to accompany your daughter whenever she wants to leave the house. Another good thing is that we have at least two allies inside of the school. They already helped the kids last year and won't hesitate to do it again if they need to. You won't have that if your daughter pursues her studies in France." He paused for a few seconds, before concluding his speech. "Mrs. Granger. The final choice concerning Hermione's safety will be yours and your husband's, of course, but please, think carefully when you make it. "

Hermione's mother stayed silent for a while, and it was her father who finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry, darling," he said to his wife, "but I think they are right. Letting Hermione go back there seems to be the safest option."

"I can't allow it, Richard," her mother answered. "My daughter is in danger, and I can't allow it."

"Mrs. Granger," Ted Tonks said gently, "your daughter is in danger, yes, but she's not the only one. My own daughter has been at risk since the day she was born, and only because I dared to marry her mother. A Death Eater took an unhealthy interest in Hermione, yes, but if he were to take her away, at least she has a good chance to stay alive. My daughter would be killed on the spot, and a good number of wizards would suffer a similar fate. I can't give you at least ten names without even thinking, and that doesn't even include Harry, Snape, or Regulus."

"Your world is horrible," Hermione's mother managed to say, her voice shaking.

"It's not perfect, but it's ours, and I wouldn't go back to being a Muggle if I was given the choice between life and death."

"I think we need some time to process everything you just told us," her father said, taking his wife's hand in his. "I hate admitting it, but I think you're right. I still don't like the fact that Hermione lied to us for years, and what's happening to her in your world, but I can't deny that what you told us makes sense in some kind of twisted way. If you can assure me that you will make everything in your power to protect our daughter, then we will agree to let her go back to her school."

"We will come back tomorrow to answer the questions you may have," Ted answered. "For now, please allow my daughter to put some wards around the house to protect your family."

Hermione's father nodded, and Tonks got up, followed by Sirius.

"Hermione, love, your mother and I need to talk. Why don't you go to your friend for the night?" her father asked.

* * *

Regulus had accompanied Hermione back to her house a few hours ago, and he was already regretting not staying with her. She had been looking so fragile, those last few days, and it broke his heart a little to know that he would not be there if she needed him. Harry and Sirius had left for the afternoon, and Rita's healer had just departed from the house, telling him she had fallen asleep after taking her potions. Regulus had been pacing in the library, trying to think of something to pass time, but had found nothing to do in the thirty minutes he had been there. Finally, he left for the kitchen, hoping a nice bowl of ice cream would be enough to brighten his mood. He was almost at the bottom of the stairs when someone called his name.

His mother's portrait was scowling at him, and he gulped. She did not look happy at all.

"Yes, mother?"

"Can you explain exactly _what_ is going on between you and that Mudblood?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to sound naïve.

"Don't think I am stupid, boy," she answered sharply. "I saw the way you look at her. You _like_ the girl."

"So, what if I do," he said, embarrassed.

"You need to stop right now before something happens," his mother said, impassive. "Your cousin marrying a Mudblood was already too much for our family, I won't let you make the same mistake."

"Mother, I do value your opinion, but I think my love life does not concern you."

" _How_ _dare you?_ " She screeched. "After everything I did for you, how dare you speak to me like that when I only try to help you. I know what's best for you, Regulus, and..."

With a flick of his wand, Regulus silenced the portrait and closed the curtains.

"You're dead, mother. I'm done letting you control my life."

* * *

"So, Horcrux?" Lupin asked in a tired voice.

"Definitely," Severus answered.

"Well, we already suspected it," Regulus said, sighing. "At least, now, we're sure."

"Argh," Sirius suddenly groaned, loudly. "That means I'll have to accept letting Petunia's boy come over the house so that I can convince her to help us."

* * *

The expensive looking car parked right in front of the house, and Sirius' entire body tensed when Petunia Dursley opened her door. The last time he had seen her was a year ago, and that encounter had not been pleasant at all. Next to him, Harry shifted, and Sirius put a hand on his Godson's shoulder. On his other side, Regulus leaned close to his ear and muttered.

"You have my benediction to introduce her to Mother's portrait. If she hates wizards as much as you say, she might find a way to shut her up."

Sirius looked at his brother, surprised. He had never heard him speak like that about their mother, so something serious must have happened between them, but what could it be? He had no time to ponder on the question, however, because Petunia and her son were now climbing the last steps leading to the house, and he needed to focus so that he could behave properly.

"Black," Petunia said coldly when she reached the final step. "Harry. And, you are?" she asked, looking at Regulus with disdain.

"Regulus Black, Mrs. Dursley, Sirius' younger brother."

"I hope you were better educated than he is," she snapped. "Are you going to let us in? I drove all the way from Little Whinging, the least you could do is to offer me some tea."

"Of course," Regulus said, preventing Sirius from answering rudely. "The small living room is that way. Dobby," he called once they were all seated, "can you bring us some tea and biscuits?"

The elf popped in, and Sirius did not even try to hide his smile when he saw the two Dursleys jump. Petunia let out a small scream, and Dudley tried to hide behind a cushion.

"Dobby is sorry, sir, but Dobby did not know the guest's preferences, so he brought a little bit of everything. Dobby hopes it will be enough."

Indeed, five different trays, as well as three teapots were floating behind him, and Sirius wondered if Dobby was not also trying to show Harry's family that he was better cared of here than in his previous house.

"You did well, Dobby, you're free to leave if you want, I don't think we'll need anything else." Regulus answered. "Mrs. Dursley, do you have a favourite blend of tea?" Petunia mumbled something, but Regulus seemed to have understood because he continued, impassive. "And how do you take it? Some lemon juice, maybe? We also have some milk, and cream."

It was lucky that Regulus was here, Sirius thought, because he was a far better host that himself. Had he been alone, Sirius would have tried to make an effort – Harry, Merlin knew why, _really_ wanted things to get better with his cousin – but he had the feeling tea with Petunia would have been extremely tense. ' _And how do you take your tea, Petunia dear? Should I add some lemon juice in it? Or a drop of poison, maybe? My my, is_ that _a gun, you are pointing at me?_ '

"And you, Dudley? Harry, do you mind serving some sandwiches and scones to your aunt and cousin? Thank you."

Once everyone was served, Sirius decided to let a few minutes pass before talking to Petunia. Better have her think she was safe. Sorta.

"Sooo, Petunia. How's life, those days?" he asked as politely as he could manage.

"Very good, thank you," she answered dryly. "Vernon opened a new subsidiary last winter in North Ireland, and Dudley took up boxing."

"Ah, yes, I thought he had become very muscular compared to last year. Are you boxing as a hobby, or would you like to compete?" he asked the boy.

"I won the Inter-School Boxing Championship of the Southeast," Dudley answered uncomfortably.

"Oh, good, very good," Sirius said. There was a pause after that, and Petunia took several sips from her teacup.

"So, Petunia," Sirius began once again, "I was wondering what you knew about family blood, and rituals."

From the corner of his eye, he saw his brother pinch the bridge of his nose. Too bold, maybe?

"Nothing," she answered sharply. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you see, Harry here seems to have a... problem," he explained, looking at his Godson who was watching him intently. He had to be careful with his phrasing, Harry couldn't know exactly _what_ was in his head before everything was done. "A problem that means his life might be in danger if we don't take care of it. And in order to do that, we will perform a ritual. The thing is, because you are family, your blood possesses some properties that will ensure everything works properly."

"And you expect me to give me some of my blood because of that?"

"Yes, but not only. You'll need to be there through the duration of the ritual, and to participate actively. There might be some aftereffects, like nausea or tiredness, but apart from that, it's perfectly safe."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"What do you mean, no?" Sirius asked, shocked. "You don't want to help us?"

"I see you're as sharp as ever, Black."

"But. Why? Have you not understood the part where I said that Harry might be in danger?"

"My hearing works perfectly."

"And you still don't want to help us?"

"Correct. I don't trust you, and I don't trust magic. I won't put my life at risk for some problem that only _might_ affect him."

"Petunia," Sirius began slowly, feeling his knuckle go white as he tried to refrain himself from punching the woman in the face, "I..."

"I'll do it," someone blurted out. "I'll help Harry. I'm family, too, right?"

Everyone turned to see who had spoken, and Sirius was surprised to find a very seriously looking Dudley staring back at him.

"Well… Yes, you are," Sirius confirmed slowly. Snape had mentioned grandparents could have work, so why not a cousin?

" _Diddy!_ " Petunia screeched. "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" the boy asked. "Harry's my cousin. I want to help."

"Diddy, _those people are freaks_ ," Petunia said, her voice getting higher and higher. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you saw a wizard? Don't you?"

"Harry wouldn't let anyone hurt me, right Harry?"

"No," his Godson answered. "Of course not."

"See?" Dudley told his mother. "Harry says no one will hurt me."

"Don't be stupid, Diddy," Petunia interrupted. "They're just saying that to convince you. I'm your mother, and I know better than to let those weirdos try to use your blood in some kind of satanic ritual. Come on, let's leave this horrible place." Petunia got up and marched straight to the door before stopping, realizing that her son had not moved. She stared at him, startled. "Diddykins," she began, her lips trembling slightly. "You can't seriously want to do that?"

"Of course, I can," her son answered stubbornly.

"But... But it's _dangerous_ ," she said, desperate.

"I don't care," Dudley said, shrugging. "I wasn't nice to Harry before; I want to be nice now. If you don't let me do it, I'll leave the house and come here to help."

Petunia stood there for a good minute, too stunned to answer. Finally, she forced herself to come back to her seat and to sit down. Tears were threatening to leave her eyes, but her voice was steady when she spoke.

"Very well, Diddy. If that's what you want, then I won't oppose it. But if something happens to my son," she said to Sirius, a murderous glance in her eyes, "I won't let you live. Do you understand?"

Sirius nodded quickly, not willing to lose what might be his only chance to help Harry. Petunia asked for another cup of tea – strong, this time, with a generous drop of brandy in it – and drank it in two gulps. Harry and Dudley were now discussing quietly, and Sirius saw that Regulus was writing something in a book, probably a note to Snape's attention. Sirius took a small sandwich – cucumber and cream cheese – and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly.

"Sirius?" Harry called after a while. Sirius turned his head and looked at the boys. "Do you think Dudley could fly my broom if he tried? The magic isn't coming from the user, right?"

Both of them looked excited, and Petunia had blanched visibly, so Sirius decided to ignore the fact that Regulus' foot had just crushed his in a pathetic attempt to prevent him from answering.

"That is an excellent question, pup. I think it could work, so why don't we all go to the backyard and test your theory?"

* * *

"Hermione dear," Molly Weasley greeted her when she opened the front door, "and Remus! So nice to see both of you again! You look a bit thin, Hermione darling, why don't you help yourself with some of the cakes I put on the table? Everyone else is already in the garden but don't worry, you're not late. Ron and the boys want to play a Quidditch game, would you like to join them? Ah yes, sorry, I forgot you weren't very fond of Quidditch. Tonks is here, as well as Sirius' secretary, I think the two of you are friends, right? Ah, Rita Skeeter and that Dudley boy are with them," Molly's warm voice had dropped from a few degrees at the mention of the last two guests. "I honestly don't understand why, but it's Harry's birthday, so I'll try not to say anything uncouth."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said, interrupting the older witch's monologue. "We'll join the others if you don't need any help."

"Don't worry about that, dear, I've got everything under control," Mrs. Weasley answered, escorting them to the back of the house. "The cakes are here," she told Hermione, pointing at a large table bending under the weight of a mountain of foods and drinks.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, but I'll go and say hi to Harry first."

"I'll save some just for you, then. And please, call me Molly," she said, before going back to the house.

"Do I really look that thin?" Hermione asked Remus discreetly, as they walk in Harry's direction.

"Maybe a bit paler than usual, but she seems to forget that you grew up since she last saw you, and you're looking less and less like the child she first met. And, besides, I think she's trying to find something to focus on to forget that Percy doesn't want to speak to her anymore. I suppose you heard about him?

She had and, while she was a bit disappointed, she wasn't totally surprised. Percy revered the Ministry more than his own family.

"Hermione, hi!" she heard Harry say, excited. "Have you met my cousin, Dudley?" he asked, indicating a huge and muscular teenager apparently trying to hide behind him. "Hermione is Muggle-born, Dudley, so don't worry. Ron's father ambushed him when we arrived," he explained, "and it took me ten minutes to get rid of him."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Weasley can be a bit… overwhelming," Hermione said to Dudley. "He did the same thing with my parents, and always asks me to sit next to him when we meet. I'll do that if you want, I don't mind answering his questions if you don't feel comfortable."

"It's not that I don't want to," Harry's cousin told her, "but I just don't _know_ everything, see what I mean? He asked me if I knew how to build a _rocket._ "

"Oh, that may have been my fault, I offered him a book about space exploration last Christmas."

"Hermione," Harry interrupted, "do you want to watch Dudley's first game of Quidditch?"

"You can fly a _broom_?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I trained him, I think he's good enough to play as a beater. Fred agreed to let him take his bat."

"Is that… safe?"

"Don't worry, we'll be watching him," she heard Sirius say from behind her. He was pushing a wheelchair, where an annoyed Rita was seated, and was followed by Regulus. Hermione said hello to everyone – even to Rita – before announcing that she was going to take a drink.

"I'll come with you," Regulus said, and she took the arm he was gallantly offering. He had been away with Sirius and Harry those last few days, and she had missed his company.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, once they were away from the group.

"Better. I went to see the Muggle Healer I told you about, and even if it was a bit difficult to explain everything because of the Statute, it helped me a lot. I'll have another session next week, but he says I won't need to come back more than four or five times after that. He also told me I could write to him if I needed to speak with someone, and we've already secured a session during the next holidays, to see how I progressed on my own."

"That's good," he said, "you really had me worried at the beginning of the summer."

"Learning… everything was a bit of a shock, but I think I'm alright, now. At least, I don't have the nightmares anymore, and I don't jump every time I see someone cross the street in front of our garden. The fact that Tonks came back and put more advanced wards around the house really also helps making me feel safer."

"Well, don't forget that you can come home if you think you're in danger, or even if you feel alone. Dobby's always there, and I'm pretty sure you haven't read every book we own. And I don't mind staying with you when your parents aren't home," he added seriously.

"That's nice of you, Regulus, but I don't want to stop you from seeing your brother."

"Don't worry, I see my brother enough. And besides, he needs time with Harry, too."

"You're right," she said, smiling. "I'm happy he got the both of you." They had reached the table, and Hermione took a glass of lemonade, while Regulus poured some iced tea in his. "By the way, how are you adjusting to your new life with Rita Skeeter?"

Regulus had told her about the state of the blonde's house when he and his brother had gone there to retrieve some of her things, and Sirius had decided she would come to live with them indefinitely.

"She's not that bad, when you get to know her properly. I think what happened lately made her see things with new eyes, and she's not as annoying as she seemed to be. I think she and Sirius might actually like each other even if they don't admit it. Honestly, sometimes they sound like an old couple bickering. The only problem is, I have to be very careful around her. To be honest, I think she's beginning to suspect something is off with me."

"Maybe you'll have to tell her," she said. "She's far from being stupid, it's only a matter of time before she puts the pieces together. She doesn't like Dumbledore, and she doesn't trust Fudge anymore. She could make a powerful ally."

"You're right, I'll have to mention it to Sirius and Severus."

"Everyone, can I please have your attention before we head to the game? We have an announcement to make," Sirius shouted unexpectedly. He had left Rita and Harry's side and was now standing between the Weasley twins. Hermione suddenly remembered them mentioning a secret investor at the end of the school year, and she winced slightly. Those three together could only mean trouble.

"Thank you," Fred said, smiling at Sirius. "I'm sure everyone here knows that, George and I always love a good joke, and that we are regular customers of Zonkos."

"Indeed, we are, Fred," George continued, "but lately, being a simple customer hasn't been enough for us, and we've begun developing a small range of products with the hopes of selling them."

"Alas," Sirius said, "being a young entrepreneur is hard, and trying to build a business from the ground when you're still at school is even harder! That's why, after seeing and testing some of Fred and Georges' products, I've decided to back their project, and to make them my associates! My friends, we are proud to tell you that, before the end of August, Fred and George Marauder's Shop is officially going to open an owl-line shop!"

No one talked for a while, and Hermione realized that most of the guests had turned to Molly, whose face was going redder by the minute. The twins seemed to have realized that, and were already looking for a good hiding place. Sirius, however, did not seem to understand the danger.

"A _shop_?" Molly asked slowly. "Sirius Black, you've given money to my sons so that they can open a _joke_ shop _?_ "

"Well, actually I'm going to participate as well, and…"

"WHAT KIND OF STUPID IDEA IS THAT?" she shouted to her sons. "YOU REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LET YOU DO THAT?"

"But mum," Fred began, "we…"

"OWNING A SHOP IS _NOT_ A JOB, AND I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY YOUR FUTURE LIKE THAT," Molly continued, ignoring her son's feeble protests. "I'M YOU MOTHER, YOUNG MEN, AND…"

The shouting lasted for a while, but, finally, Molly let her husband convince her to go back to the house and to lie down for a few minutes before coming back to the party.

"So," Sirius said awkwardly, when the couple had left. "Who wants some samples?"

* * *

Lord Voldemort had been thinking all night, trying to form a plan that would insure his success against Harry Potter. That the boy had escaped and warned the old man was still something he had _not_ come to terms with but, for the moment, it was merely an inconvenience as no one seemed to believe them. However, he knew he needed to get rid of the boy, or else the Prophecy would come true. That meant he either had to march right into the Ministry to take it, so that he could hear its full content and finally learn if it had a weak point, or to manage to send someone else. And that someone could only be Potter. He rose from his seat, and called for his faithful servant.

"Bartemius," he said, once the man had knelt before him. "I have a new mission for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FIY:  
> \- The title of the chapter totally comes from the song in the Disney movie Tangled  
> \- The moment when Sirius imagines the conversation with Petunia is inspired by something happening in the chapter 4 of Apple Pies and Other Amends, by ToEatAPeach. Go read it, it's worth it!
> 
> I'm sorry if some of you wanted to know how the Quidditch game went, but I did not include it here. However, I'm working on a small chapter that will include bonus scenes from the fic! It won't be published before the end, but I hope I'll have enough ideas to post it ;) Here are the two teams:  
> \- Ron (goal)  
> \- Harry (seeker)  
> \- Ginny (chaser)  
> \- Sirius (chaser)  
> \- Dudley (beater)
> 
> \- Bill (goal)  
> \- Regulus (seeker)  
> \- Fred (chaser)  
> \- Charlie (chaser)  
> \- Georges (beater)
> 
> I tried to make a joke with "owl-line shop". My boyfriend looked desperate when I tried to explain, so I think it's not working. * Sigh *
> 
> Well, that's all for today, see you in two weeks!  
> Krummbein


	19. The Pink Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo ! 
> 
> Sorry sorry sorry, I know I was supposed to post sooner, but you know. One week, I've got a nasty cold and I'm too tired to stay up past 8 pm and write (true), then the next weekend I spend an entire day watching Lovecraft Country (not my fault, it was good. I 100% recommend you checking it). And now, my boyfriend and I are watching the Marvel Movies every evenings, and I just can't say no. Let's just say, I write 15 minutes a day, and it's not enough. But I promise, I'm still writing :D 
> 
> Hope you like that chapter, it took me one week to write the last part, I don't know why but I couldn't come with something that I liked.

A strange-looking owl had appeared on her window this morning, bringing a colourful paper that had turned out to be the latest edition of The Quibbler. Rita had sighed, before looking at the front page, where she knew her article was supposed to be printed.

**THE DAY I ACCIDENTALLY TRAVELLED WITH HARRY POTTER, AND WITNESSED YOU-KNOW-WHO BEING RESURRECTED,** **By Rita Skeeter**

I wished I had known, only a few weeks ago, how much my life was going to change that night. If someone had told me that, instead of covering the Final Task of the Triwizard Tournament, I was going to witness Barty Crouch Junior resurrecting his Master using Harry Potter's blood, I would have laughed, and hard. Because Barty was supposed to be dead for years, and Harry Potter was supposed to be safe, protected by Dumbledore in Hogwarts.

How wrong I was.

As I write this article, I'm sitting in a wheelchair, a Muggle invention that helps me move now that my own legs refuse to support me standing up. I've been up since 3 a.m., unable to go back to sleep after I had to relive, once again, that terrible night; and I've been thinking, trying to find some way to be useful now that You-Know-Who is back.

I am not a politician, and I don't come from a long line of influential families. I am a journalist, and that's why I decided it was time for me to sharpen my best feather, and tell you what really happened that night, in the Muggle town of Little Hangleton.

_The only good_ _thing is that they seemed to have printed it properly_ , she thought bitterly. What a shame it was for her, to have to publish what could have been the most sensational story of her career in that _newspaper_. Well, it was not as if she had a choice, really. It was either this or nothing. At least, people might have a way to learn about You-Know-Who's return before it was too late. She was pretty sure most of them would just ignore her article (it _was_ in The Quibbler, after all), but maybe some would take it seriously. She hoped so, really.

"Skeeter," she heard from the other side of her door. "Time for your potions."

"Piss off, Black," she answered, trying to move her wheelchair away from her desk. He ignored her and entered her room, going directly at her side and glancing at her desk.

"Ah, I see Lovegood finally published your article. It looks good," he added, after reading the first paragraphs.

"Yes, well, as good as it can be. I doubt it will be enough to uplift the quality of the paper."

"It's still better than The Prophet," Black answered.

"Most of the stories published in the Prophet are the truth, Black. Alright, maybe a _twisted_ truth," she admitted when he quirked an eyebrow, "but at least it's relevant information. The Quibbler's articles are just ridiculous, Lovegood only publishes the most unbelievable stories he can get. No one is going to believe what comes from that trash, even an article with my name on it."

"Having a sudden change of heart, love? Thinking that, maybe, people should read _real_ news, instead of whatever bullshit you usually write?"

"I write this because people _enjoy_ it," she snapped. "And a tragic love story always sells better than some article about standardising cauldron thickness. But even I can deny that, this time, people need to know the truth. Troy Duval breaking up with Gideon Crumb doesn't affect the average citizen's life. This does."

"Do you really think that?" he asked, this time more seriously.

"Of course, I do," she answered, rolling her eyes. "Though I'm not sure anyone will want to accept it. Look how Fudge reacted, he doesn't want to believe he is back."

"Because he's a coward."

"Because he knows what's going to happen," she countered. "Because he remembers how hard it was the first time, and he can only imagine how hard it will be this time."

Black paused, before resuming.

"I don't think arguing about Fudge is going to help us a lot. And, when he realizes you and Harry were right, it will already be too late."

"Well," she began slowly, trying to sound indifferent, "I suppose there are still some things we can do by ourselves. I mean, with Snape coming regularly in the house, you must have an idea of what's going on, right?"

Black, who had been inspecting one of her quills, froze.

"Snivellus?" he asked, sounding a bit tense. "You must be mistaking him with someone else, Skeeter. Snape never put a foot inside of this house."

"And Réginald is not your long-dead brother," she answered in a bored tone. "Really, Black," she continued, and she saw his mouth open in shock, "I might not be able to use my animagus form for the moment, but that doesn't mean it's my only way to find out information. And, even without that, the only fact that he calls that horrible portrait _Mother_ is a dead giveaway, honestly."

"You… you…"

"Oh, and you call him baby brother."

That was the mortal blow, and Black dropped on her bed, his head in his hands.

"Snape is going to kill me."

* * *

To say that Severus Snape was not amused was an understatement. Rita Skeeter's article had been released earlier that day, and – he still had to understand how – the Dark Lord had read it. Let's say that he had not been pleased, and that his followers had learned that the hard way. The muscles on his right leg were still twitching, the scar on his back was still swollen, and he just wanted to go back to his rooms and sleep. Only, he was in Black's kitchen, trying to limit the damages said moron had made. He glanced at the man, who was shifting nervously on his chair and avoiding his gaze, before turning his eyes to study Skeeter. He suppressed a groan. The woman was _painting her nails._

"Black!" he said sharply, making the man jump, "Explain how, when I purposely taught you enough spells to ward that kitchen properly, your _friend_ discovered that I was coming here regularly?"

"He forgot it once and I heard you shout at him," Skeeter answered, looking at her hand before taking a nail file.

"What _else_ do you know, Miss Skeeter?" Severus continued. The woman stopped filing her nails, smiled, and leaned towards him.

"Well, I know about the boy."

"What boy?" Severus asked, trying to ignore the feeling of panic that was slowly building inside of him.

"Black. I mean, the other Black. The one who was supposed to have mysteriously disappeared and died but is apparently alive?"

Severus shot Black a dark look, and the man immediately lowered his head. At least, he understood the gravity of the situation.

"Miss Skeeter," Severus began. "What you've learned is _very_ sensitive information, and I'm sure you understand that I can't let you…"

"Yes yes, I can't repeat that to anyone, especially not to any Death Eater that I see, and Merlin knows I've bumped into a lot lately. I'm disabled, not stupid, Snape. I've suspected something was off for weeks, and I had my confirmation not long after that. If I wanted to arm him, do you really think I would have told Black I knew?"

Severus eyed the woman for a while, thinking. Rita Skeeter was not someone he would have trusted – not that he trusted a lot of people, anyway – but if the recent events proved something, it was that she did not approve of the Dark Lord's comeback and that she made that clear, consequences be damned.

"What exactly do you want, Skeeter?"

"I want to help. I'm not exactly sure of what you're doing, but the fact that you are now in Black's house, when I know how much you hate each other, I think it's something big, something not even Dumbledore knows. And Regulus? I don't know how he did it, but it seems that he found a way to look exactly the same as when he was fresh out of Hogwarts. And I'm sure You-Know-Who would be _very_ interested in learning how he did that. After all, he's the one interested in immortality, is he not?"

"You seem to know a lot of things, Miss. Skeeter," Severus said, pursing his lips.

"What do you want me to say?" she shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a journalist, I couldn't help but listen to the speech he gave to his followers."

Severus paused, before summoning a satchel.

"Let's begin with Veritaserum, if you don't mind? Then, we'll see how good you are at Occlumency."

* * *

"Are you sure of what you're saying, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"I am. The Dark Lord wants the prophecy concerning him and Potter, and tasked Bartemius to obtain it. Lucius is also working on infiltrating the Department, but I don't think he will succeed."

"This is worrying, extremely worrying."

"Indeed. Which is why I think we should ask Black to take Potter to the Ministry so that he can get the goddamn thing."

Severus was getting angry, and he knew that because he was beginning to swear like a Muggle.

"If Harry gets the Prophecy, Sirius will be able to learn its contents, and we can't allow that, you know it perfectly Severus. The fact that he refused to come back in the Order puts us in a delicate situation. Even if he had accepted, I'm not sure learning that Harry might die is going to thrill him."

"Might die, might die, you told me last time you would make sure he won."

"I have no more control over the boy, Severus!" Dumbledore told him sharply. "I couldn't guarantee his survival before Sirius arrived in his life, no more than I can guarantee it now. But I can make sure Voldemort doesn't win. There is a plan I've been working on for a few years, but I need more time."

"And what, exactly, is that plan?"

"You know very well I can't tell anyone about it, Severus. Only Alastor knows its contents."

"That's stupid. Maugrey is constantly in danger, what if something happens to him? What if something happens to _you_? More people should share that knowledge, why don't you at least tell Minerva?"

"I don't think she would approve of some parts of the plan."

Severus sniggered.

"The part where Potter has a fifty fifty chance to die?"

"Indeed."

"I repeat, this is stupid."

"I'm well aware of your opinion," Dumbledore said sourly, "but I don't need it."

"Thanks for that," Severus spat. "Tell me about the bloody meeting, at least. What else did I miss?"

"William Weasley took a desk job in London, he's going to be our liaison with the Goblins." Severus tried not to laugh out loud. The Goblins might be well, _friendly_ to some wizards, but they would never accept to help them in a war. "Hagrid's mission is still ongoing, and they have made some progress. It seems that the Gurg is willing to listen to what they have to say."

"The Dark Lord also sent messengers; I'm afraid Hagrid and Madame Maxime won't last long against them."

"Well," the Headmaster answered, his eyes twinkling, "only time will tell."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Not a lot happened since we last saw each other."

"Those things take time, Severus, you know that. I'll ask the inner circle to gather soon, however, we need to find more volunteers to guard the Prophecy."

"Guard the... Are you out of your mind? _Guard the Prophecy?_ And you think this won't tell _Him_ that we know of his plans?"

"Alastor will lend us his invisibility cloak."

"You think a cloak is enough? Do I need to remind you that we are _wizards?_ Ever heard of detection spells?"

"Severus, I'm telling you once again: do not worry. Our agent will not really be guarding the Prophecy inside of the department, he or she will be there to observe if any known Death Eater is coming here frequently."

"Very well, Headmaster, I see nothing will make you change your mind. If that's all for today...?"

"Yes, yes, you may go, Severus. I'll see you in a few days."

Not bothering to say goodbye, Severus went into the floo and, throwing some powder, returned to his house. However, he did not leave the fireplace, and grabbed more powder instead.

"12 Grimmauld Place."

"Snape," Black greeted him from behind the pan he was using as a shield against half a dozen knives attacking him. "Thought you were not supposed to come after your meeting with Dumbledore."

"Black," Severus said through his teeth. "Would you care to explain..." he began, before catching sight of an angry Rita Skeeter lying on the ground, and Regulus and Potter shaking with laughter. "I changed my mind; I don't want to know. Potter, _out_." The boy left as quickly as he could, as Regulus vanished the knives and helped Rita back to her chair. Once they were done, Severus joined them around the table.

"The Dark Lord wants the Prophecy, but Dumbledore doesn't want you or Potter – or me, I suspect – to know its contents. Instead, he thought it would be clever to let members of the Order guard it under an invisibility cloak."

"I don't see why he bothers," Skeeter said, "only the people named in a Prophecy can take it from the Halls, everyone knows that. I don’t see You-Know-Who coming to the Ministry for the moment and, even if that's what happens, what will the guardian do? Alert Dumbledore by sending a Patronus and give their position at the same time?"

"He's putting people in danger," Black agreed. "I don't like it."

"I think we should get Potter to the Ministry and take it while we can," Severus said. "It would be safer for everyone, and at least we would know the rest of the Prophecy."

"Agreed," Black said. "But when?"

"Not for the moment," Regulus told them. "If Harry gets the Prophecy two days after you had an argument with Dumbledore, he will suspect we talked. Better wait until the end of the month."

"Alright," Severus told him. "We do that. Any objections?" he asked. Neither Black nor Skeeter said anything. "Good."

* * *

Regulus closed Harry's trunk, before levitating it in the corridor. Only two days left before he and the trio went back to Hogwarts, and the school start did not look inviting at all. The Dark Lord being back, Hermione and Harry still not having totally recovered from the shock of what had happened, and now, Severus was telling them that Dumbledore had found no one to teach DADA, and that he would have to accept someone from the Ministry if he had no teacher before the end of the day. Which was in less than two hours. Well, at least Regulus had been able to have a few days of peace with Hermione and her parents before returning to school.

"Ah, baby brother, just the boy I was looking for," he heard his brother announce while he entered his room. "Tell me, Skeeter received a summoning from the Ministry, do you think this might be our ticket to get Harry to the Department of Mysteries?"

"A summoning? What for?" Regulus asked, surprised. Rita Skeeter had not left the house since the beginning of the summer, except to go to the Burrow for Harry's birthday. What could the Ministry want?

"It says 'incitation to panic', or something like that. We think it's about her article in the Quibbler."

"Oh. You think this is a trial?"

"Read for yourself," Sirius said, showing him a piece of parchment.

_Dear Miss. Skeeter,_

_We are informing you that a complaint has been filed by several High Members of our Court, and that a Hearing will take place on 31th of August at 10 am, in the Courtroom 10 at the Ministry of Magic._

_The charges against you are the following:_

_\- Defamation against several honourable citizens;_

_\- Defamation against the Ministry of Magic;_

_\- Incitation to hatred;_

_\- Incitation to panic._

_Yours,_

_Malfada Hopkins_

"Skeeter has no chance if Lucius and the rest of the Death Eaters are behind this," Regulus said. "You and Harry should go with her, Harry as moral support and you as legal representative, maybe? Having both the Houses Black and Potter with her would show the Court that she is not alone. Plus, Fudge won't want to upset you. At least, not too much, I don't know how much he likes you compared to last year."

"Not very much, let me assure you that," Sirius answered. "And Harry's worst."

"I suspected as such, I haven't stopped reading the Prophet. The articles depict him as some attention-hungry boy who only wants people to pity him."

"Well, I'm glad we have Skeeter with us now, can you imagine what she would have written about him if not?"

"Oh, I think I can."

* * *

"So," Snape told them once everyone was seated at the table. "The Ministry appointed a new teacher for DADA. We don't know who it is yet, but Dumbledore suspects someone close to Fudge, like his actual Undersecretary."

Sirius swore quietly. He knew that would happen, but he had prayed Dumbledore would find another fool just in time to avoid having a spy inside of his school. Hell, he had even offered him to do the fucking job, but the old man had refused, under the pretence that he might be biased.

"Umbridge?" Remus asked immediately.

"The same, yes. Do you know of her?"

"Oh, yes," Remus declared in a sombre tone. "She's the one who drafted that anti-werewolf legislation two years ago, she made it almost impossible for me to get a job. I'm lucky Sirius needs me to help with his family business, or else I'm not sure where I would be now."

Snape nodded pensively.

"Well, I suppose we have no other choice but to see what's going to happen. I fear we might have to limit Regulus' access to my chambers depending on that. The Headmaster is certain Fudge will try to place his spy in a position of power, and that means that he or she might observe the teachers. I don't think a cat coming to my rooms will make me a suspect, but I don't want to put you in danger."

"Don't worry, Severus, we'll manage," Regulus told his friend.

"I hope so, I would hate to begin grading first year's papers again," Snape retorted. Tonks sniggered, and even Remus looked amused. Sirius tried to look bored.

"If we're done with that," he said, "I think we should mention Skeeter's audition. Anything you think we should know about that, love?" he asked her, winking in her direction.

"There's nothing to say, Black," Skeeter answered flatly. "I'm summoned because of the article, and you and Potter will accompany me in order to get the Prophecy."

Damn, the woman sure was hard to cheer up.

"Are you sure this is a good idea for Harry to be seen in the Ministry?" Tonks asked. "Won't there be enough Death Eaters in one place to see you leave for the Department of Mysteries once you're done with the audience? And what about Rita? Do you think this is safe for her to come back alone?"

Sirius caught Regulus' gaze. They hadn't thought about that.

"Well, Lupin will have to come, too. The Ministry is the last place where I think Regulus should be seen, even disguised."

"Works for me," Remus answered, smiling in Rita's direction. The woman smiled back, and Sirius suppressed a grin when he saw Tonks' murderous expression. One day, maybe, he would tell Lupin to just ask her out, but their clumsy interactions were really too fun to watch.

* * *

Once upon a time, men would have turned their heads at the sound of her heels in the Atrium, and women would have turned green with envy when seeing her looks. Now, she could feel the stares, but it was no longer lust or jealousy that she detected. It was disdain.

"I can manage on my own, Black," she snapped, not for the first time since they had left Grimmauld Place.

"I'm a gentleman."

"I don’t think pushing my chair is part of the etiquette of a gentleman."

"And I'm a Black," the man added, and she was sure he was smirking, "which means I make my own rules."

"Sirius, concentrate on your destination," Lupin interrupted. "The lift is on your right, not on your left."

"Indeed, it is," the man answered, pushing her through the doors. "Sorry folks, no place left," he told a group of wizards who had been following them. "We must think of your security," he added seriously, and Lupin nodded. "After all, you're a wanted woman!"

He seemed to think he was being funny, but she decided to say nothing. She was not in the mood to deal with a childish Sirius Black.

"Department of Mysteries," a cool female voice announced after a few minutes of silence.

"Oh _great_ ," Black said, "I had forgotten the lift didn't go to that Courtroom. Come on, Skeeter, your own charming prince is going to take help you pass those traitorous stairs."

"Lucky me," Rita answered ironically, as she was being lifted from her chair. "My dream, finally coming true. _The_ Sirius Black knows that I exist."

"Do you know how many women would kill to be in my arms, Skeeter?" Black asked, offended. "Dozens. Hundreds. THOUSANDS!" he exclaimed, and she hit him on the arm.

"We've passed the stairs, Casanova, put me back in my chair and shut up. I don't want us to be seen like that when the door opens."

* * *

When he entered the courtroom, Sirius could not help but shiver. This was the place where, some fifteen years ago, he had been held for a few minutes, just enough time for the jury to find him guilty. He did not remember a lot, just that he had not been able to stop laughing, and that everyone had applauded Crouch when the sentence had been pronounced.

"Miss. Skeeter," a cold voice said, "this is a private hearing. The public is not allowed to attend, _supporters_ or not."

"This was not mentioned in the summoning I received yesterday, Minister," Skeeter retorted. Her voice was loud and clear, and carried easily across the courtroom. "And they are not here to support me. Mr. Lupin is here as my personal bodyguard, Lord Black as my legal representative, and Mr. Potter as my witness."

" _Witness?_ "

"Yes, witness. This hearing is about my article in the Quibbler, and the veracity of the facts I gave, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"And, unless the law changed since I last read it, both parties have a right to protection, defence in case their life is in danger, and can bring anything or _anyone_ they think might be of importance to the hearing. Am I right?"

"Indeed, you are," a feminine voice confirmed. Sirius turned his head to see who had spoken, and was happy to see Amelia Bones. The woman had no love for Death Eaters and her opinion might prove to be decisive for them.

"Very well, very well," Fudge said, clearing his throat loudly. "If that's everything, we may begin. Weasley!" he barked, "are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," an eager voice answered, and Sirius immediately recognized its owner. Oh dear, he hoped Molly had not learned that her son had been promoted.

“Hearing of the thirty-first of August,” Fudge began loudly, “the Lords Malfoy and Nott, Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle against Miss. Rita Skeeter, for the following complaint: false claims and defamation. The Wizarding Ministry of Great Britain against Miss. Skeeter for the following complaints: defamation against the Ministry of Magic, incitation to hatred, incitation to panic. Interrogator: Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley. The Lords Malfoy and Nott, Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle decided to plead their own cases, with Lord Malfoy representing them. The Ministry's interests are represented by Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister.”

"Miss. Skeeter is represented by Lord Black, of the House Black, with the support of Mr. Harry Potter, of House Potter. Mr. Potter is also present as a witness," Sirius added, when he realized that Fudge was hesitating to continue.

"Lord Malfoy if you would, the Court is ready to listen," Amelia Bones said.

Lucius Malfoy stood up elegantly, sending a graceful smile in her direction.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bones. My esteemed Lord and Ladies of the Court, I will be brief. Over the years, I've heard many things said against my name. Because I believe in the old ways, some called me a blood-purist, others tried to prove that I was practicing the Dark Arts by searching my home for objects they _never_ found. Some even went as far as calling me a Death Eater, probably forgetting that, as many of us, I had had the misfortune of being imperiused, and that my wife and son were held captives in case I tried to fight the curse and defect. Fortunately, those incidents have been scarce, and I'm happy to say that most people see me as what I truly am: a man who is proud of the family he comes from, and whose only concern is for the prosperity and the safety of his fellow citizens. And concerned, I am today. While I usually don't care for the Quibbler, its latest issue had me extremely worried. Here was an article that not only tarnished my name and that of many other respectable families but, and this is what worried me the most, that tried to convince everyone that You-Know-Who was back from the dead. Worse, its author had the audacity to question our Minister's capacity to govern us, arguing that he knew very well that You-Know-Who was back, and that he decided to do nothing about it, thus endangering us all. I say, trying to disgrace some citizens by associating them with a movement they do not approve of is bad enough, but trying to make people believe that You-Know-Who is back, and that the government doesn't care about it, frankly, I'm appalled. I don't understand why, but this woman, as well as Mr. Potter and his accomplices, are trying to divide us. I beg you, my Lord and Ladies, to stop them, before they do something more dangerous than an article in a tabloid." His last sentence was followed by a thunder of applause, and Lucius Malfoy stepped back and regained his seat.

"Thank you, Lord Malfoy," Amelia Bones said once it was finally quiet. "We are now ready to listen to the Ministry's representative."

A woman had stood up before Amelia Bones had finished her sentence, and Sirius narrowed his eyes. She looked so small, so _pink_ , that for a second, he thought Remus had exaggerated when he had told him how dangerous she was. That thought stopped the moment she opened her mouth. She had a fluttery, girlish, high-pitched voice that immediately made him regret having the highly sensitive hearing of his animagus form, and he had to fight very hard no to scratch his ears to blood and to concentrate on what the witch was saying, especially when it became clear that she was not only accusing Skeeter and Harry of treason, but also trying to make them look mentally disturbed in the eyes of the Court.

"Objection," Sirius said loudly for the third time since the beginning of her speech. "Miss. Skeeter was examined by a certified Healer who confirmed that she was not delusional. That Healer also examined Mr. Potter, and concluded the same thing."

"Even the best Healers can make mistakes, Lord Black," the pink witch told him, smiling sweetly.

"That's why we had a second Healer examine them. His conclusions were the same as that of his colleague: both Miss. Skeeter and Mr. Potter's mental health is normal."

The woman immediately stopped smiling.

"Well, they must have obviously missed something, because both of them are trying to convince our citizens that You-Know-Who is back. The Ministry is _very_ careful when it comes to the rise of potential Dark Wizards, and let me assure you that, if You-Know-Who was really back – which is impossible, because we know that he is dead – Minister Fudge would be the first one to try to stop him."

Skeeter snorted quietly, but had the good sense to stay quiet.

"Two Healer's certificates is enough proof for the Court," Madam Bones decided. "And the Court is now ready to listen to question Mrs. Skeeter."

Sirius glanced in Skeeter's direction, but the woman was unreadable.

"Mrs. Skeeter," Amelia Bones began, "are you still convinced that you saw You-Know-Who coming back to life?"

"I am, I saw the resurrection happen with my own eyes."

"The Ministry objects to this claim," Umbridge interrupted. "Miss. Skeeter asked for an investigation to be made at the supposed site of the resurrection, yet the experts found no trace of Dark Magic."

"There are ways to erase traces of Dark Magic," Sirius countered. "The inquiry was made one month after the event; anyone could have tampered with it."

"The Court agrees with that fact, Lord Black, but that means we have no tangible proof that You-Know-Who is back," Amelia Bones said before Umbridge could open her mouth. "Miss. Skeeter, you also claimed that Lord Malfoy, Lord Nott, and Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle were present at said resurrection, do you still wish to support that claim?"

"Technically, they were summoned _after_ You-Know-Who stepped out of the cauldron. But I clearly heard You-Know-Who call them before he punished them."

"Objection," Lucius Malfoy interrupted. "Lord Nott, Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle and myself were all at a party organized by my wife, and we have a dozen witnesses to prove that. The Court received their written testimonies this morning before the hearing began."

"Indeed, Lord Malfoy. Mr. Potter, you are here as Miss. Skeeter's witness. Are you willing to confirm that you also saw You-Know-Who being reborn that day?"

"I am, yes. Do you need the details?"

"There's no need, Mr. Potter, we are not enquiring on You-Know-Who's comeback. Can you also confirm Miss. Skeeter's claim that Lord Malfoy, Lord Nott, and Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle were there, as Death Eaters?"

"Yes. I did not see their faces, but Voldemort called every one of them, and I recognized Mr. Malfoy's voice."

"If I may, Madam Bones?" Lucius Malfoy asked, before resuming once he had her approval. "Let's admit that You-Know-Who is really back, and that this boy witnessed it. Who says the names _You-Know-Who_ gave were not false ones, only used to confuse him? I'd like to add that voices can easily be imitated, my own included."

"You have a valid point, Lord Malfoy," Amelia Bones recognized. "Mr. Potter, thank you for answering. Miss. Skeeter, one last question. At the moment, we have no proof that You-Know-Who is back. The site you spoke of was searched but the Ministry's workers found nothing and, two months after the event, the Aurors confirm that there has been no suspicious rise in the numbers of incidents concerning the use of Dark Magic, or disappearance, as there was last time that You-Know-Who was in power. Are you still willing to claim that Mr. Fudge should prepare for a war, when he seems to have no reason to?"

Sirius saw Skeeter take a deep breath, and waited for her answer.

"I also wish to maintain that claim. You-Know-Who is back, he is just hiding for the moment. We have to prepare now, before it is too late."

Amelia Bones adjusted her glasses, before rising from her seat.

"I think I've heard enough from all parties. Unless anyone wants to add something, I will give you my decision, and the Court will vote for the sentence." When no one spoke, she went on. "The article of Miss. Skeeter provoked quite a media uproar, not only because it stated that You-Know-Who was back, but also because it named a few names from prominent and well-respected families, and accused the Ministry to remain passive. Miss. Skeeter continues to support her claims, and her theories are supported by Mr. Potter and Lord Black, but also by Albus Dumbledore himself. However, having no formal proof that You-Know-Who is indeed back, and that Lord Malfoy, Lord Nott, and Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle were present at the said resurrection, the Court cannot let Miss. Skeeter continue to spread false rumours to the public for fear of panic.

Sirius glanced at Lupin. That was not good for them.

"Still, the Court must take into account the fact that said article was printed in the Quibbler, and that this newspaper has been publishing conspiracy theories since it began. There were quite a few articles about You-Know-Who not being dead three or four years ago, and some questioning the integrity of some members of this Court as well," she continued, and Sirius suddenly remembered an article he had read a few years ago about Fudge killing goblins to get more gold. "Miss. Skeeter is thus asked to stop writing about the potential return of You-Know-Who, and to pay a fine for the damages she caused to the reputation of Lord Malfoy, Lord Nott, and Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle. Considering the facts mentioned earlier, the compensation asked by the parties will be revised, and will amount to one hundred galleons per capita. Those in favour of this sentence?" Madam Bones asked.

Sirius raised his head, trying to count the many hands in the air. More than half, maybe? He wasn't totally sure.

"And those in favour of a harsher sentence?"

Fudge, as well as the pink lady, raised his hand, as did many other wizards he recognized as being blood-purists, or former supporters of Voldemort's ideas.

"Very well," she said, "this sentence is confirmed by the Court."

* * *

Sirius yawned loudly, staring at the fireplace. It was well after midnight, and he had been sitting there for almost two hours, trying to find a new plan to take the Prophecy from the Ministry. Everything had been running smoothly until Fudge, who had exited the courtroom with Malfoy not long before them, had asked why they were not leaving the Ministry. Once he had figured out that Sirius intended to take Harry to the Hall of the Prophecies, he had coolly informed them that they needed the Head of Department's authorization to take a prophecy, and that the Head first had to get permission from him. Which, he had told them with a mean smile, he would not give. Furious, Sirius had had to admit they couldn't do anything for the moment and had accepted to leave, trying to ignore the fact that Malfoy was very likely to report the incident to Voldemort.

There was a sudden disruption in the wards, and Sirius frowned. Snape was apparently standing in front of his door, and he had brought someone he could not recognize with him. Alarmed, he got up from his sofa and quickly made his way to the door, opening it abruptly.

To say that he was shocked to recognize the stranger was a bit of an understatement, but then, he had already accepted the fact that Regulus was not dead, that Snape was on his side, and that Skeeter had saved Harry's life, so he supposed he could also accept the fact that a very distressed Narcissa Malfoy was now standing on his porch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess you know who the Pink Woman is!
> 
> What do you think of Rita being part of the secret?? I had fun writing the part where Sirius discovers that she knows, I can totally picture Rita accidentaly hearing Sirius calling Regulus "baby brother" and rolling her eyes like "Merlin, that man is so stupid". And Regulus, you say? He's perfect, I don't understand your question.
> 
> There are several references (in my mind) to the books, can you spot them?
> 
> Did you like the end of the chapter? ;)
> 
> ___________________
> 
> I honestly don't know when the next chapter will be posted, I have less time for writing now that I work (and watch a movie per day *coughs*), so I'd rather not give you a deadline. I hope in two weeks, but I can't be sure (I honestly admire those of you who have a job, a family, and still find the time for creating wonderful fanfictions!) 
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	20. Familia Supra Omnia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More than 10 000 views, thank you so much!!!
> 
> Honestly, I'm happy to see that people are still reading this fic, and apparently enjoying it. Thank you for that <3
> 
> It's already chapter 20, and there will many more following. Yay! When I first began writing this fic, I had no idea I would have so much inspiration, so I'm very happy to know that I'm still going to write for a while :D 
> 
> I have already have a lot of ideas for my next fanfictions (see my profile for more infos) and I would just LOVE to begin one of the first two on that list, but I don't think I would manage, so I'll wait until I'm almost done with this one. Would you be interested in reading one of them, or don't you like the ideas/pairings??
> 
> _____________
> 
> About that chapter:
> 
> WARNING WARNING WARNING: there will be a mention concerning a voluntary abortion, but in a different context than "usual". If this is a sensitive subject for you, please consider not reading the part that begins with [NOT REALLY A SPOILER, BUT WELL]
> 
> "It was long after midnight..."
> 
> I changed the time at the end of the last chapter, or else it wouldn't have been logical. You'll see what I mean.
> 
> It's shorter than usual, but I thought the moment I ended it was perfect, because it's not centered on the same "thing" after that. Again, I think (hope) you'll understand what I mean?
> 
> Finally, I think you will like what happens :D

The buffet was decadent, the champagne was expensive, the music was exquisite and yet, Narcissa could not manage to enjoy the party she was throwing for her son's last day at home. Somehow, everything she ate tasted like ash, everything she drank seemed to be made of vinegar, and the loud sound coming from the French band she had hired was giving her a headache. Lucius had been giving her worried looks for a few minutes, now, before he finally decided to come and ask her what was wrong.

"It's nothing, love," she told him when he arrived at her side.

"I beg to differ, my darling, you look like you're about to faint. Go lie down in your rooms and wait for Severus, I'll make excuses for you."

Narcissa nodded, knowing that her husband meant well, and kissed him gently on the cheek before leaving the party. Slowly, she made her way to the family wing, calling her personal elf when she arrived at the door of her apartments.

"Wendy, I'll be sleeping in my rooms tonight, can you take my stuff there?"

The small elf bowed and disappeared quickly, leaving Narcissa alone once again. Reaching for her wand, she unlocked the doors and crossed the room, allowing herself to breathe deeply as she sat on her bed. She had always had a delicate health, but the return of the Dark Lord had only worsened her condition. She had tried to avoid raising Lucius suspicions for the entire summer, but knowing that her son was going back to school and that she would not see him before Christmas had been too much for her. At least, she thought, he would be away from his father, but would it be enough to dissuade him to follow his path? She knew her Draco was a good boy, but he wanted to please his father, and this she knew could only mean accepting to become a Death Eater. The idea seemed to tempt him, but would he truly want to continue being one once he understood what it really meant? Every time she asked herself that question, she could not help but remember her sweet Regulus, and the look in his eyes after his first raid. Or the determined look he had the last time she had seen him alive.

There was a knock on the door, and Severus appeared, a small satchel in his hand. He conjured a chair next to her bed and sat down, before producing a small vial from the bag.

"Really, Severus, Draught of Peace? I'm perfectly fine."

He sighed, putting the vial on her bedside table.

"Lucius is worried, Narcissa, and to be honest, so am I. You haven't been yourself since the beginning of the summer, and I can tell that your Glamour Charms are heavier than usual." He pointed his wand at her face, and she tried to stay impassive as she felt the effects of her glamour disappear. He did not say anything, but she saw his face grow harder and harder as he took in her appearance. "I've never seen you like this," he said quietly, "how can you say you're fine when it's obvious that you are not? You know I can't help you if you don't say anything." he added sadly.

Narcissa did not answer. How could she, really, when she knew that Severus was one of the highest-ranked Death Eaters at the moment? She loved him dearly, she really did, but she could not compromise herself by telling him how she felt about the Dark Lord's return, and Lucius' plans for Draco.

"Is it about what happened to Lucius at the beginning of the summer? I know it might have seemed a bit harsh at the time, but Lucius is now back in the Dark Lord's good graces, that kind of… _accident_ won't happen again."

She gave him a pointed look.

"Alright, I'll recognize the Dark Lord did not really like Skeeter's article in the Quibbler, but that was an exception. Narcissa…," he said after a while. "This is about Draco, isn't it? You don't want him to become a Death Eater, am I right?" he continued, and Narcissa stopped breathing, genuinely horrified. "Honestly, do you really think I'm going to drag you before the Dark Lord because you fear for your son's safety?"

Narcissa raised her head and looked at him in the eyes, trying to decide whether he was serious or not. Finally, she gave up. Was it because he had always been here when she needed his advice, because worry had been eating her for the entire summer, or because her guts where telling her that she could trust him with her life, she didn't know, but before she knew it she had opened her mouth and had begun speaking. 

"Draco is not Lucius," she told him, her voice breaking. "He has the same beliefs, yes, but not his strength. I fear he won't be able to do what you and Lucius do, and the consequences terrifies me."

"Draco reminds me a bit of Regulus," Severus admitted quietly. "He, too, believed in the cause, yet he could not accept some of the things we did."

"Yes," she agreed bitterly. "Draco resembles him a lot, too much maybe."

"You fear Draco will die if he joins?" he asked, his voice no more than a murmur.

"… yes," she confessed.

To her great relief, Severus only nodded, apparently thinking.

"I want you to be honest with me, Narcissa," he said after what seemed an eternity. "Everything you say stays here. No one, not even Lucius, will know about our conversation. Now, tell me… If you had been able to, would you have saved Regulus from whatever happened to him?"

There was only one answer in her mind, so she did not hesitate.

"Regulus was a brother to me," she declared, "I would have died for him."

Severus examined her for a while before rising suddenly from his seat, making his way to the doors.

"You should go to sleep," he said abruptly. "Lucius told me he would check on you after the end of the party. Wait until after he's come to leave the Manor, and meet me at my place. If you don't show, be warned I'll make sure you remember nothing of that conversation."

* * *

It was long after midnight when he finally heard it. The sound of an apparition, quickly followed by a hurried knock on his door. He opened it, aiming his wand at the woman who was waiting outside.

"What did you never tell Lucius about your last pregnancy?" he asked, and he saw her face darken for a second.

"That there were two babies, but I decided to keep only one because of the risks."

"Come," he said, lowering his wand, "I have a lot to tell you."

* * *

It was so surreal, Narcissa thought, so strange to be back at Grimmauld Place after all those years, sitting in the old living room and sharing tea with her estranged cousin. The said cousin was obviously panicking but trying very hard to look like he had the situation under control, and she decided to turn a blind eye to his very bad acting, admitting that the situation was a bit disturbing, especially for her. Learning that Severus was in reality a spy for the light was unsettling, but discovering that her Regulus, her baby cousin, was alive and well had been too much for her to handle.

"When will I be able to see him?" she had asked Severus once she had recovered from the shock.

"Now, if you want. He's at Grimmauld, and he'll leave tomorrow morning for Hogwarts. But we have to be quick. It's late, and I don't want you to be out of the Manor for too long."

So, she had put her arm under his, and waited for him to take her to London. There, in the middle of a small square, he had told her the exact address of Grimmauld Place, and the large building had suddenly appeared, looking exactly the same as it had some fifteen years ago. Severus had led her to the porch, and a very agitated Sirius had opened the door the moment they had stepped in front of it. A short period of silence had ensued, and she and Sirius had stared at each other for a long time, before she finally regained her senses and greeted him.

"Hello, cousin," she had told him a bit coldly (she couldn't really forget years of estrangement from both parties in only a few hours) and she had seen him glance at Severus, apparently waiting for some kind of confirmation. Severus had nodded, and her cousin had let them enter. As she crossed the old corridor, she had marvelled at the fact that Sirius Black apparently _trusted_ Severus Snape enough to let her come into his house. Sirius had led them to the small living room and called for an elf that she had immediately recognized.

"Dobby?" she had called, surprised, but the little elf had ignored her quite rudely, only looking at her cousin and disappearing as soon as tea was served.

"Sorry for that," Sirius had told them, "he's usually quite funny, I think seeing you brought back… memories."

She had said nothing – she knew well enough what had happened to him, after all – and taken a sip of her tea. Apparently, Dobby could hate her but still serve her her tea just how she liked it. All of that had happened nearly ten minutes ago, and Narcissa was beginning to grow tired of pretending to drink from a cup of tea she had already finished.

"So," she said, putting her cup on the coffee table. "Where is Regulus?"

Sirius choked on his tea, spitting half of it on the floor and coughing for a good minute before finally regaining his breath.

"You know about Reg?"

"Of course, she knows about him," Severus snapped, "do you think she came all that way just to see _you_?"

"How could I know?" Her cousin replied, sounding irritated. "You appear on my porch after midnight, with my charming _married to a Narrow-Minded-and-Blood-Purist-Death-Eater_ cousin in tow and you expect me to know _why_?"

"Obviously, Narcissa is here because she needs our help," Severus answered calmly, taking another sip from his own cup, which he had apparently refilled.

"I thought she just wanted to see Reg," Sirius replied sourly.

"Black, it's late, and we're both taking risks by being here right now. Go wake your brother, I'll explain everything later."

Her cousin said nothing but got up, disappearing from the room as Severus finally put his cup on the table, delicately wiping his mouth with an embroidered napkin.

"They shouldn't be long," he said, and Narcissa's heart immediately sped up. She really, _really_ wanted to believe Severus, to believe Sirius even, to believe that her baby cousin, her Regulus was not dead, but she would not before she had seen him for real.

* * *

Regulus was back at the cave, and the inferis had already grabbed his wrists and were taking him at the bottom of the lake. He was drowning, and he didn't want to. There were so many things he had to do, so many things he had to say, he couldn't just die right now!

Suddenly, the nearest inferi opened his mouth, and talked to him. "Reg, Snape is here with a guest," it said, and Regulus wondered why it had his brother's voice. He decided to ignore it. He had more important things to do. Like trying not to die. 

"Reg. REG, WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!" The inferi was shaking him, now, and Regulus tried to push him away. "Oh, for fuck's sake. ENNEVARTE!"

Regulus' eyes opened, and he found himself facing his brother.

"Sirius?" he asked groggily. "What's happening? Is that Hermione? The Death Eaters?"

"Nah," his brother answered, "something really less exciting. Snape brought someone and wants you to come and greet her."

"He brought someone? Really? At that time of the night? Who is it?"

"Oh, you'll see. I'm sure you'll like her."

Curious, Regulus got up from his bed and put his dressing gown before following his brother to the small living room. He stopped on his tracks as soon as he entered the room, not prepared for the scene before him.

"Narcissa?" he asked in shock, as his eyes landed on the blond woman sitting next to Severus, "what are you..."

But he did not have time to finish his question, because Narcissa had thrown herself into his arms and was now hugging him tightly.

"I can't believe you're really here!" she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Lucius came back home saying you had not shown at the last raid, and then Walbruga arrived at the Manor saying that you were dead, and..."

Regulus hugged her tighter.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I hadn't really thought of everyone else's reaction, I just..." he glanced at Severus. "What does she know?" he asked, unsure of whether or not he should continue.

"I'm not familiar with the details," his cousin said, "but I've learned enough to know that I'm going to need your help, maybe sooner that I want."

"Our help?" Regulus asked, looking back at her. "What for?"

Narcissa let go of him and returned to her seat, smoothing the wrinkles out of her dress after she had sat down before finally speaking.

"Lucius wants Draco to become a Death Eater."

* * *

"Of course, this will be the only time Narcissa comes here," Severus had told them after they had explained the situation, and Regulus had not believed what he had heard.

"The only time?" he had asked, "you can't be serious!"

"Of course, I am, Regulus. Don't you think I'm already putting us all in danger by telling her about you and I, and allowing her to come here?"

"You know I won't say a word about what happened tonight, Severus," Narcissa had said.

"I know you won't, but don't you see the danger ahead of us? The Dark Lord mostly stayed away from Britain during summer, but where do you think he will go once he's back? At his father's place? At _Crouch's place_?" Severus had spat, "of course not! Lucius already renewed his invitation for him to come and stay at the Manor; didn't he tell you? And I fear he will not be the only one to settle down in your house."

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius had asked, and Regulus had had a bad feeling. Severus had sighed.

"We don't know when it will happen, but the Dark Lord wants his favourites back and plans to break them out of Azkaban before Christmas."

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Sirius had shouted. "That's _exactly_ the kind of information you should be telling us! Imagine what it could change for our plans!"

"I didn't tell you before because there was _no point doing so_ ," Severus had shot back. "Tell me, Black, what do you plan to do now that you know about the evasion? Warn Fudge? Try to convince the Dementors not to not let the prisoners escape? Yes, that's what I thought," he had continued, ironic. "Now, do you see my point about Narcissa? Once the Dark Lord and the other Death Eaters are at the Manor, Lucius will certainly change the wards and monitor every move to make sure the place is safe. Narcissa won't be able to leave in the middle of the night like tonight."

"Alright, alright," Sirius had grunted. "But there's at least something she might help us with..."

Severus had stared blankly at Sirius, before catching what he meant.

"No."

"No? You don't even know what I'm talking about!"

"Of course, I know. You're thinking of the cup. The answer is still no."

"Again, Snape, you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm not asking her to take it, we don't even know if it's here! I say, let's ask her to go to the vault, and look for it. We need every information we can get, and _this_ , is crucial information. "

After that, Narcissa had not accepted to leave before knowing what Sirius wanted from her, and Severus had reluctantly agreed to explain a bit more.

"We need an object," he had told her, "one that might have been entrusted in you sister's care by the Dark Lord himself. We think she might have put it in her vault, and you're the only one with access to it."

"A cup, you said?"

"Yes. We don't know what it looks like, however."

"I can have a look around. I've been in her vault many times over the years, to oversee the renewal of the wards, or to search for some family jewels. My visit won't raise any suspicions, especially if I go to my vault as well."

"Narcissa," Severus had told her, "are you sure about that?"

"I believe in the old ways, and preserving our culture against the Muggleborns and Half-Bloods has always been important to me. But sacrificing my son's life to a madman in order to do it? Not while I'm alive. So, if locating that cup can help you get rid of Him, I'll do it."

* * *

"You look better, love," Lucius told her as they came back from the station. "I'm glad, you really had me worried recently."

Narcissa smiled at him, clutching his hand lightly.

"Well, I'm feeling better. I think I just had a lot in my mind. I can't believe Draco is already beginning his fifth year and will soon be an adult! This really had me worried during summer, you know? This is an important year for him, between taking his OWLs and beginning to think of a potential candidate for his future wife... "

"A wife?" Lucius exclaimed. "Don't you think it's too soon for that?"

"Darling, we were betrothed when I was thirteen, and married when I was seventeen. I think we might even be a bit late. What if all the good candidates are already taken? I know the Flints signed a contract with the Greengrass family when Daphne was only eleven!"

"I see your point. You should write to Draco and ask him if he already has someone in mind. He went to the Yule Ball with Miss. Parkinson, what do you think of her?"

"Please," Narcissa sneered. "Anyone but that girl. She has no grace at all, and her manners are terrible."

Her husband laughed.

"I trust your judgement; you know those things better than I do. But let's not put too much pressure on him, alright? After all, there are witches outside of Britain. I say, let him take his time and choose wisely. In the meantime, I have a new project for you, I think you'll enjoy it."

"Oh?" she asked, afraid she already knew what he was about to tell her, "what is it?"

Lucius, who had been leading her to the living room, stopped in his tracks and smiled at her broadly.

"The Dark Lord chose our home to be his new headquarters!"

"Really?" she asked brightly, repressing a shiver of sick fear at the mere thought of having to entertain the Dark Lord for an unknown period of time. "What an honour it is for our family, my darling, we will have to make sure we are worthy of it!"

"That's exactly what I thought, love, and that's why I'm planning on reopening the West Wing."

"Of course," Narcissa admitted, thinking rapidly as spoke. The West Wing was situated exactly at the opposite of their own wing, and had its own dinner and reception rooms. It would be perfect. "We can't just let Him stay in the usual guest rooms. He will need a place to receive his followers, and might want his own study as well."

"I had the same thought. Naturally, Barty Crouch will come along, as well as that _Muggle_ that follows Him everywhere."

"A Muggle?" Narcissa asked, shocked. Severus had not mentioned anything about it. "Why does the Dark Lord have a _Muggle_ with him?"

"Apparently," Lucius said, disdainful, "he's become _fond_ _of it_. Can you believe it? Rumour is, he doesn't even need to have him imperiused anymore, because that _thing_ has proved his profound devotion to Him."

"Well, if the Dark Lord wants it here, I will of course provide it with a room. I suppose there's no way we can make him sleep with the house elves?"

"I'm not sure," Lucius hesitated. "Better play safe and give it a room, just in case. It doesn't have to be very large."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, love," Lucius said, kissing her forehead, "I'm very lucky to have you as my wife."

"And I'm lucky to have you as my husband," she answered, trying not to think of the fact that she had decided to betray him by accepting Severus' offer.

She loved her husband dearly, but her son's life was more important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alriiiiight, I've finally added Narcissa to our little gang! What did you thought of her reunion with Regulus??? I initially wanted to add Andromeda as well, but I decided to wait. I think they parted on bad terms, and Regulus was more important.
> 
> The title is supposed to mean "family above everything", or something like that. If you know Latin, and you have a better translation, please, feel free to suggest a new title :D
> 
> Just so you know: Lucius does love his wife and his son! What he's doing is - partly - for them!
> 
> Oh and yes, I used "it" for the Muggle. Narcissa is still a bit prejudiced, after all!
> 
> I've already begun writing the next chapter, so wish me luck, because I changed everything and have no idea what I'm doing x)
> 
> See you soon!  
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	21. No Longer A Shy Little Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas to all my followers celebrating!  
> My gift to you: a new chapter :D
> 
> Hope you enjoy it <3
> 
> Krummbein

"You're sure it's her?" Hermione hissed to Harry, who was staring blankly at the professor's table.

"Affirmative," he answered, looking a bit gray. "Can't forget someone like her."

"You bet," Ron said, sounding horrified, "so much _pink_!"

Looking at the woman again, Hermione had to admit that he had a point. The woman had _distinctive_ tastes when it came to clothing.

"So," she told them, "it is true: Fudge sent someone to spy on Hogwarts."

"No one is going to respect her," Ron replied, "I mean, have you seen her face? She looks like a toad!"

"Don't be fooled by that," Harry advised him, "she's a real hag, you should have heard what she said about me at Rita's hearing. And Fudge listens to her."

The doors from the Entrance Hall opened, and Hermione focused on Professor McGonagall and the Sorting Hat, which soon began to sing. It wasn't its usual kind of song, however, and after she had heard the first few verses, she looked at the table and watched the teachers' reactions. Professor Snape's face was emotionless, but most of the other teachers were now whispering among each other, and even professor McGonagall had turned her back to the room and seemed to be discussing with professor Dumbledore.

"Wow, that was something," Ron said when the Sorting Hat stopped singing. "What's the matter with it?"

"It's a warning," Hermione explained, as professor McGonagall began calling the first years, "it knows what's happening outside of the Castle and wants us to be prepared."

"Oh. Makes sense. I mean, it's sitting the entire year in Dumbledore's office, it must know everything about... you know..." he said.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly, and the two of them immediately stopped speaking.

* * *

"Well," Harry said almost an hour later, pushing his plate away, "I hope Dumbledore tells us how long the other teacher is going to stay. What do you think happened to Hagrid?" he asked, sounding a bit nervous.

Sadly for her friend, it seemed that Professor Grubbly-Plank was going to be here for a while, as Dumbledore said nothing of Hagrid's disappearance. Hermione tried to reassure Harry, explaining that maybe the Headmaster did not want to attract Umbridge's attention on the fact that their friend was not here, but that did not convince him. The three of them were distractedly listening to Dumbledore, getting ready to leave for their dormitory, when Ron suddenly whispered:

"Wait, don't you hear something?"

Hermione and Harry stopped what they were doing, and listened intently.

" _Hem, hem,_ " Hermione heard, and she saw Harry grimace.

"Oh no..." he said, "she's going to speak! Trust me, her clothes are not the only thing horrible about her. She sounds like a little girl talking to a very stupid kitten!"

Indeed, Hermione thought as she listened, Harry was right about the voice. However, what alarmed her the most was the fact that Umbridge was not even trying to disguise her true mission to everyone, as if she knew nothing would stop her from doing what she really wanted.

* * *

"Er…" Harry said, staring up at the Fat Lady. "I think I forgot to ask the password."

"No password, no entrance!" she retorted, and Harry sighed. Two friends who were Prefects, and not one of them had thought of telling him what it was.

"Harry," someone exclaimed behind him, "I know it! _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ ," Neville told him panting, shoving the disgusting little cactus in front of his nose. Harry tried not to grimace at the view: his last encounter with the thing had not ended up very well.

"Indeed, it is," the Fat Lady said, and the portrait swung open.

"Thanks, Neville," Harry said, relieved. "I owe you one."

"Bah, it's nothing, you helped me a lot over the years, that's the least I can do. Say, Harry, I wanted to ask you about something," he continued, opening the door as they reached the dormitory. Harry went to his bed, nodding to Regulus who was sprawled on his blanket, purring contently.

"Hi," he said to Dean and Seamus, who had apparently arrived before them, "yes, what is it Nev'?"

"Well, I was wondering if you had already thought of something for Umbridge?"

"Uh?" Harry asked, feeling a bit stupid. What did he mean by that?

"Yeah, Umbridge," Neville said seriously. "I mean, it's obvious she's been sent by the Ministry, right? They tried to stop you from telling the truth during the summer, but now that you're back at Hogwarts, do you have a plan?"

"A plan?" Harry repeated dumbly. "A plan for what?"

"Well, a plan to convince everyone that You-Know-Who is back and that the Ministry is wrong, obviously!"

"Er, look Nev', I…"

"Wait, you believe that He is back?" Seamus interrupted.

"Yeah, of course. Dumbledore told us what had happened, I think he was pretty clear about it," Neville answered. "You don't?"

Seamus looked nervously at Harry, before answering.

"Well, you know. There were some people who said that Skeeter and Potter had invented everything so that she could have a sensational article, and Fudge said that they were lying and that Harry, er… wasn't really stable, mentally speaking?"

"WHAT?" someone exclaimed, and Harry immediately knew Ron was back, "you can't seriously believe that guy! Even when they found Krum hidden in a suitcase, he didn't want to recognize that Harry was right!"

"Wait, they really found him in a suitcase?" Dean interrupted. "I thought he had disappeared because Hermione had broken up with him!"

"Where did you hear that?" Ron asked, appalled, and Harry saw that Regulus' eyes had suddenly popped open. "That's not the truth at all! It was Crouch Junior all the time, and just to think that Hermione had agreed to go visit him during summer makes me sick!"

"Look, guys, why don't we drop this subject for now?" Neville asked diplomatically.

"Yes," Harry agreed hurriedly, "good idea."

"So," Neville asked when Dean and Seamus were back next to their bed, lowering his voice, "what's the plan, Harry?"

Harry heard Regulus meowl in warning.

"Look, Neville, there's no plan. I don't want to give Umbridge a reason to make my life worse than it is already."

Neville looked offended.

"You're not going to do anything?" he exclaimed, and Harry saw that Dean and Seamus were listening again. "But… But you _have to!_ You're the one who brought You-Know-Who down the first time! He's back and plans to take control of Britain again, and you're not even going to try to _warn_ anyone? Ouch,” he exclaimed, “your bloody cat scratched me!"

"That's Hermione's cat," Ron corrected absently. "And I think he's saying exactly what she would: Harry has enough problems already."

"Yes," Harry confirmed, grinding his teeth, "I have."

After that, no one else spoke, and they eventually all went to bed. However, it took Harry a long time to sleep, and he couldn't stop remembering Neville's outrage when he had told him he would do nothing against Umbridge or Voldemort.

* * *

"Good afternoon, class," the girlish voice of professor Umbridge greeted them. Hermione saw that most of the students had a look of disbelief written on their faces. How old did she think they were, honestly? A few of them, Hermione included, replied unhappily.

"Tut, tut," the professor said, " _That_ won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply ‘Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.’ One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!”

"Good afternoon, professor Umbridge," they answered, still unconvinced.

“There, now,” said Professor Umbridge sweetly. “That wasn’t too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please.”

Wands away? That did not sound good at all. That, and the fact that their new book was a complete joke. Regulus had almost fallen from his chair laughing after reading the introduction. Even professor Snape had sniggered when he had seen the cover.

Professor Umbridge reached her wand and tapped the blackboard, where a few words appeared immediately:

_Defense Against the Dark Arts_

_A Return to Basic Principles_

_And here we go_ , Hermione thought sadly. An entire year of learning nothing, and not even being able to tell the teacher what she thought about it. They were lucky that Regulus was still there to help them improve. She had been distractedly copying what was written on the board when she noticed that most of the class had stopped what they were doing, and were now looking either at Umbridge, or at Neville, who had his hand high in the air.

"Neville," Harry hissed, "what are you doing?"

Hermione was wondering the same thing, but, with what Harry had told her the other day, she thought she had a pretty good idea of what he was planning to do.

"Yes?" Professor Umbridge answered after a few minutes, when it was clear that she did not have the choice anymore. "Do you have a question, Mr…?"

"Longbottom, ma'am. I was wondering if there would be any practice at all during your class?"

"Practice?" professor Umbridge exclaimed, laughing. "There will be no need for that, Mr. Longbottom, I assure you. Now, if you would, please go back to your book and read the first chapter."

Professor Umbridge turned around and sat at her desk, suddenly finding herself very absorbed by the reading of a pink parchment. Neville, however, was still not reading his book, waiting once again for her to notice him.

"Mr. Longbottom," Umbridge finally said, her voice a bit higher than before, "Do you have a question about that particular chapter?"

"No, ma'am," he said, "I have a question about the course itself."

"Well, what is it?"

"I don't understand the course's aim, ma'am. I've read the entire book, and there's nothing written about the use of the spells themselves."

"My dear boy," professor Umbridge answered sweetly, "of course there is nothing about _using_ the spells. Why, do you think someone might attack you in my class?"

"No ma'am, but…"

"Then, it's settled."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Neville continued, "but what about outside of the classroom?"

"Outside of the classroom? Well, surely my colleagues don't tolerate fights in the corridors?"

"That's not what I mean, ma'am," Neville interrupted, sounding a bit irritated, "I'm talking about Dark Wizards."

Umbridge, who had been about to seat once again, froze, before putting an unconvincing smile on her face.

"I know that my colleagues, including our _esteemed_ Headmaster, have been poisoning your charming little heads with lies since the beginning of your education but trust me, there are _no_ Dark Wizards waiting for you in the outside world!"

Neville, however, was not impressed by her answer.

"The Headmaster has not been trying to poison our mind, ma'am, he's just trying to protect us."

"By making you think that you are in danger outside of the school?" professor Umbridge asked with an icy voice.

"No," Neville answered calmly. "By warning us that _Lord Voldemort_ _is back_."

Everyone in the room, including professor Umbridge, gasped loudly. Professor Umbridge, because Neville was apparently challenging her authority, and the rest of the room, because the shy, little Neville they all knew had been going up against a teacher, and had dared to pronounce Voldemort's name. Hermione looked at professor Umbridge, who was grinning, looking as if Christmas had come earlier.

"Well, well, Mr. Longbottom, I think a week of detention might help you see the truth about all of that nonsense," she said, sounding horribly pleased. "Now, class. Let's read."

* * *

_The Daily Prophet, Morning Edition, September the 4th_

**BARTY CROUCH FOUND DEAD IN A MUGGLE PUB**

Yesterday evening, the Aurors were called at a local Muggle pub, where a fight had broken between a drunk Muggle and a wizard. When they arrived, the Aurors discovered the body of Barty Crouch Senior, who had been reported missing since June. Mr. Crouch was pronounced dead by the Mediwizard who examined him. According to the post-mortem examination, Mr. Croupton was stabbed by the Muggle he had been fighting, and was drunk at the moment of his death.

_Anonymous flyer, distributed to the Daily Prophet's subscribers, on September the 6 th_

**SECOND AUTOPSY FINDS EVIDENCES OF TURTURE ON**

**BARTY CROUCH'S BODY**

A second autopsy, performed by an anonymous Mediwizard, found evidences that Barty Croupton had been tortured many times before he died, sometimes by the Cruciatus Curse. According to the same Mediwizard, Mr. Crouch may also have been under the Imperius Curse for a while, including at the moment of his death.

"There are certain signs that cannot be ignored," our source declared, "like the fact that people thought he was drunk and attacked a bald man. People trying to fight the Imperius are usually incoherent when attempting to speak, and confuse the illusions they are under and the reality. We know that Mr. Crouch has been tortured with the Cruciatus, a curse only used by Dark Wizards. The same wizards make a significant use of the Imperius Curse, the hypothesis of Mr. Crouch being Imperiused at the moment of his death is therefore not unrealistic at all."

_The Green Witch_

* * *

"Hey Gin, where were you?" Regulus heard Ronald ask his sister when she finally entered the Common Room. It was near midnight, now, and the room was empty aside from the three of them. Ronald had noticed that his sister had been missing during the entire evening and, always the protective brother, had concluded it was his duty to forbid her from ever seeing whoever she had been meeting again.

"Detention," she just said, crossing the room towards the stairs.

"Detention?" Ron repeated in disbelief, and Regulus turned his head too. Ginny Weasley, in detention? It was like Hermione forgetting to deliver an assignment. Something was extremely wrong. "Detention with whom?" the red-headed repeated, and Regulus got closer to the girl, waiting for her explanation.

"Umbridge," she answered in a bored tone. "Why do you care?"

"Why do I…? Gin, it's not even been a week, and you've already got detention with a teacher! Does mum even know?" he asked.

"Two words, Ronald," Ginny said angrily, "Second. Year."

"It's not the same!" her brother exclaimed, outraged. "We had no choice but to take the car! I mean, at the time, it seemed that we had no other solution! What did you even do to make her give you detention?"

"Nothing," she answered flatly.

"Come on Gin, you could at least try to sound convincing."

"I just told her the truth, if you want to know," Ginny snapped.

"The truth?" Ronald asked, suddenly blanching. "What truth?"

"That she was the worst teacher we ever had, and that I'd rather kiss a flobberworm's ass than to stay in her class any longer."

"What?" her brother gasped, horrified. "Are you serious?"

"Of course, I am. And I intend to continue."

"Gin, you can't! You don't know what she's capable of!"

"Oh, I know enough," the girl answered, gritting her teeth. "Trust me, I _know_."

Ronald stayed where he was, too shocked to answer, and Ginny took his lack of reaction for her cue to leave.

"Not a word to mum," she warned him, "or I'll do more than just breaking your _wand_."

"Phew," Ronald said, when she had disappeared in her dormitory, "half my height, and yet so scary. Well, I suppose I'll still have to write to mum. Say," he continued, turning his head in Regulus' direction. "You wouldn't know a few protection charms that work against both physical and magical attacks, would you?"

* * *

"You should have seen me yesterday, 'Mione, I did not miss one!"

"Really?" Hermione answered distractedly, "that's amazing, Ron, I'm sure you'll do great in the team."

The Quidditch tryouts had been held two days ago, and Ron had been chosen to be the new Keeper of the Gryffindor team. Hermione had been extremely proud of him – she knew how hard he had trained with Harry, Sirius and Regulus – but she had not realized that it would mean hearing every single move he made during practice.

"Yeah, I know," her friend said proudly. "I'm really happy Reg' helped me with my lack of confidence, I don't think I would have felt so at ease if not for him."

"Yeah, he's great," Hermione said quickly as she took the nearest pot of tea. Since their holiday in France, any mention of Regulus was making her blush.

There was a soft sound in the air, and the first owls appeared above them, bringing with them the morning post. A huge owl landed in front of her, and Hermione let it take a piece of her bacon while she unfastened her copy of the Prophet. She unfolded the paper, took a look at it, and gasped loudly. Around her, there were similar reactions, and Ron and Harry stopped eating to look at her apprehensively.

"Something wrong?" Harry asked worriedly, and she knew he wanted to know if Voldemort had attacked someone.

"Yeah, I think so," she answered, spreading the paper in front of them.

**MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM**

**DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER “HIGH INQUISITOR”**

In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Shit," Ron exclaimed, and Ginny, who was passing behind him, hit his head strongly with her bag.

"Language, Ronald," she said in a warning tone, and he immediately sank into his seat. He had written to their mother two days earlier about Ginny's detentions with Umbridge, and his sister had made it clear to him that she had not appreciated his lack of discretion.

"So," Harry asked once Ginny was far enough, "what does it say?"

Hermione, who had begun reading the article, sighed in defeat.

"It means," she said, "that we are going to need to be more careful."

* * *

"You will need to be more careful when coming to my chambers," Severus warned him when he arrived, late in the evening. "And I don't think it's a good idea for you to use my floo anymore, I bet she got access to the network, now."

"You're right," Regulus answered, taking the nearest pile of copies on Severus' desk. "I read the paper; I fear it's only the beginning."

"Yes, that's what Dumbledore suggested as well when I told him about my concerns."

"Did he say something else?"

"Nothing worth your time, or mine, for the matter. As usual, our esteemed Headmaster thinks he knows better than the rest of us, common wizards. He had that irritating smile that made me think he was almost happy of what's happening, as if everything was working according to his plans."

That had Regulus' attention.

"Let's say Dumbledore wanted the Ministry to put someone at Hogwarts," he said, "what could be his goal, then?"

"That," Severus answered grimly, "only time will tell."

* * *

"You too?" Ginny asked him when she saw his bleeding hand.

"Yeah," Neville answered, shrugging. "Hurts a bit, but that's worth it."

"It is," Ginny answered calmly, looking at her own hand. "It is worth it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, what are your prognostics??  
> I'm sorry the chapter was so short, but again, it seemed like a nice moment to stop it ;)  
> Next chapter will be published in 2021, but as I'm on holidays, I'm going to write!!
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein


	22. Many Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: sorry about the late chapter, I just had an idea and added almost four pages. More about that below!
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR!
> 
> Yes, I'm late for that as well.
> 
> I'm not really sure what to say because of the corona pandemic still ongoing, and all the consequences it has and will have, so I'll just stick with: "hope you are all well". I'm sure a lot of you just want to forget that all of this is still happening, so I'll just let you read the new chapter.
> 
> Love,  
> Krummbein

"So, I was wondering," Ginny said to Neville one night, after everyone had gone to bed, "maybe we should try to learn some defensive spells by ourselves."

Neville looked at her for a moment before nodding thoughtfully, and she smiled. She knew Ron would have laughed at her. Or worse: written to their mother.

"That might be a good idea. I mean, it's not like we've learned a lot during those first years. Only professor Lupin managed to teach us something, but he had to leave because of that article Malfoy had published in the Prophet."

"My thoughts exactly. And Umbridge is bound to make us worse than we already are."

"Too true," Neville smiled sadly, rubbing his hand. Ginny could feel her own scar tingling. "Any ideas?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny admitted. "I've already gotten some books on the subject but I mean, I think we should practice as well."

"We should," Neville agreed. "We need to be prepared; we don't know when Voldemort will strike."

"Voldemort," Ginny repeated, her voice barely quivering. "If Dumbledore can say it, I can too."

Neville flashed her a smile.

"You're braver than you think, Ginny," he said. "I mean, He was in your head for almost a year and even after that, you're not afraid to fight Him."

"Oh, I'm afraid," Ginny answered. "I'm terrified to be honest. But if I don't learn how to fight it, that fear will destroy me."

Neville took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

"You're not alone, Ginny."

* * *

She had lost track of time a while ago. The only thing she knew was that it was late, and that she should be in her dorm, but _something_ had stopped her during her daily walk in the corridors. She had passed that place numerous times, but never before had she felt such a pull. She glanced at the nearest window, looking at the stars for a minute before smiling knowingly. Yes, there was a reason why it was happening today. Stepping closer to the large tapestry hanging in front of her, she instinctively walked by it three times, her destination in mind. When the door appeared in front of her, she did not hesitate and opened it.

As she entered the room, she stopped abruptly. There was something strange in the air, something that should not be there. Taking her Spectrespecs out from her inner pocket, she put them on her nose, before adjusting the mechanism slowly until she was finally able to see what she was looking for. There was a large group of Wrackspurts floating above her head, and they were leading her through a mountain of old things. Following the path they were making for her, she soon found herself in front of a small dresser, on top of which a chipped bust and an old tiara were lying. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the former, both because of the aura surrounding it and the fact that she recognized the item. So, _that_ was why she had been led into the room. Clearly, the tiara had been corrupted, and her task was to do something about it. Well, she’d better take it out of there as soon as possible, and give it to someone who could help her get rid of what was tainting it.

* * *

Regulus had almost reached Severus' quarters when he heard it. A shrill, high-pitched scream, and a girly giggle. _Oh fuck_ , was the only thought that crossed his mind before two plump hands circled his chest and lifted him high in the air. There, to his horror, he came muzzle-to-nose with the woman he did not want to cross path with, and did his best to stay still as her smile grew.

"Oh my, would you look at you? Such a beauty," Umbridge purred, taking him against her chest and beginning to pet him, "how come I never saw you before, my darling?"

Regulus meowed desperately, hoping Severus would hear him and come to his help. He had a very bad feeling about the ending of that encounter.

“Now now, love,” she told him, holding him a bit tighter than before, “Auntie Dolores only wants what’s the best for you. She has a nice fireplace where you could be warm, and a lot of lovely kitty treats. Don’t you want to come with her?”

She began walking away from Severus’ door, telling him about her house where she had exactly thirty-two cats and almost the same number of half-Kneazles that she had been breeding for over forty years.

“I’m sure you would love it there,” she continued, “there are a _lot_ of nice ladies just waiting for you, and…”

“Dolores,” a cold voice interrupted, and Regulus thought he had never been so happy about his friend’s frosty behaviour before. “Would you be so kind as to release my cat?”

Umbridge let out a small gasp, looking between Regulus and Severus.

“Your cat?” she asked, a mix of both disappointment and interest in her voice, “I didn’t know you had an interest in half-Kneazles, Severus.”

“That one’s special,” he said.

“Ah, I see. We all should have a _special someone_ ,” she answered sweetly, and Regulus shot a look of disbelief in the woman’s direction. Was she… was she _flirting_ with him? Oh my. He was never going to let his friend forget that encounter. Never. Something in his behaviour must have betrayed his thoughts, however, because Severus narrowed his eyes at him before extending his arms in Umbridge’s direction. The woman reluctantly handed him over, but slowly enough that her and Severus’ hands touched for a few seconds. Regulus' mouth twitched in disgust.

“Any mention of what happened,” his friend told him as soon as he closed the door of his class, “and I tell you brother about Umbridge’s _project_ for you in her breeding farm.”

* * *

“Harry,” Hermione hissed, “ _what are you_ _doing_?”

Harry recognized the hidden warning in her voice and immediately turned in her direction, sorry that he had to stop waiting for Cho to appear. He had heard her tell her friends that she needed to go to Hogsmeade to buy some new feathers, and he had hoped he would catch a glimpse of her before leaving. Once in the little town, it would be harder to spot her among the other students. Sighing in defeat, he caught up with his friends who were already waiting for Filch to check their permission forms, and suddenly did a double take when he caught a glimpse of something suspiciously pink hidden behind a pillar.

“Guys,” he whispered, “I think Umbridge’s spying on us.”

“Of course, she is,” Hermione said furiously. “She’s always trying to rile you up in her classes, Hogsmeade is the perfect time for her to find something suspicious about you. Who knows, maybe you’re only going there to raise an army in order to defeat her!”

“Ha, Harry wouldn’t do something as stupid as that, would you Harry?” Ron asked.

“Of course not,” Harry replied, grinning, “I wouldn’t have the patience for the paperwork nor the planning. Hermione would.”

But Hermione had apparently not listened to what he had been saying, and was looking at something behind them. Intrigued, both boys followed her gaze, and Harry almost took off his glasses to clean them when he saw the couple Hermione was still staring at. Next to him, Ron swore loudly, and Hermione snapped off of her trance to admonish him.

“Ronald!” she warned, taking the helm of his shirt between two fingers and dragging him away from the scene.

“But that’s my _sister!_ ” he whined, trying to get Hermione to release him.

“And she’s old enough to go out with boys without asking for your permission first.”

Ron groaned, not convinced.

“But _Neville?_ ”

“Yes, Ronald. _Neville_.”

“She’s kissing him in front of the entire school!” he tried to argue, “do you honestly want me to ignore _that_?”

“Yes,” Hermione scoffed, “she’s not the first girl kissing her boyfriend in the corridors.”

“But why would she choose _NEVILLE_?”

* * *

“Who’s supposed to come?” Neville asked her as they entered the Three Broomsticks.

“Well, Collin told his brother, who told his whole class, so I’d say at least ten people, maybe more. At least, he didn’t tell Harry anything.”

“Can’t believe he found us. I mean, that’s the furthest classroom from the Tower we could find, what was he even doing here?”

“He told me he had been looking for Harry. We’re not the only ones who realized that he, my brother and Hermione have been disappearing Merlin knows where. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. Have you received the books you told me about?"

“Yes, granny was really happy to send them. She said my father used them to protect the house during the war, and that she was sure I would put them to good use. I think she knows what I have in mind, and she approves,” he said, sounding proud.

“This one looks interesting,” Ginny told him, looking at the cover. Judging by the title, there might be some spells that would make anyone coming near to their room unaware of their presence. And, if they were to create a secret study-group, they would need some protection.

“I also found this one in the library, there are some spells we could use in order to make sure no one rats on us.”

“That would be perfect,” Ginny agreed, skimming through the pages. There were some nasty jinxes that would surely be useful. The door opened once more, and she caught sight of the Creevey brothers.

“Time for show, I suppose,” she told her boyfriend.

* * *

“Where’s the rest?” Rita heard Sirius ask when Regulus finally entered. The blasted man had insisted they came earlier, arguing he wanted to be sure the room he had booked was alright, but she knew it was just a bad excuse to spy on his Godson and see if he had found the courage to ask out the girl he liked. Sadly for him, there had been too many students out in the street, and Sirius hadn’t been able to see anything. Which meant he had spent exactly thirteen minutes complaining to her, until she had hexed him so badly he had to leave to find some paste for the burns that were now covering his back.

“Hermione and Ronald are trying to cheer Harry up; he just discovered that Cho Chang was still going out with Diggory.”

“Oh,” the man said, sounding disappointed. “He didn’t try the P.P.K?”

“What on Earth is that?” Rita asked, not really sure she wanted to know, but intrigued nonetheless.

“The Patented Padfoot Kiss,” Sirius answered, smiling in a way he seemed to think was charming. She had seen him use that same smile on Rosmerta when they had arrived. “You take the girl by surprise, drag her in the nearest cupboard and then proceed to kiss her until she…”

“No wonder you’re still single,” Rita cut him. “You don’t know how to treat women properly.”

“Well, at the time, it seemed to work”, Regulus said, as if he was seriously considering that option.

“Trust me, boy, you don’t want to try that on your girl,” Rita told him sharply. “If you want real advice, ask _me_.”

“I… I’ll think about it,” Regulus said, his cheeks suddenly deep red.

Rita smiled. He was really cute, all blushing over the Granger girl every time she was mentioned in a conversation. But, if he followed Sirius’ suggestions when it came to wooing her, he was clearly doomed. The man was an idiot. A real idiot, and she despised him. Truly.

There was a knock on the door, and the trio appeared. Sirius, being his usual unsensitive self, began asking Harry why he still hadn’t made his move towards the girl. The boy let out a groan and dropped on the nearest chair, muttering something that sounded like “just kill me now.” Weasley, who was next to him, patted his back, trying to comfort him.

"Honestly, Sirius," Granger said, admonishing the older man, "don't you think now is the time?"

She had just put her coat on a hanger when a soft knock was heard, and the Weasley boy perked up. “Rosmerta already?” he asked, straightening his robes and eagerly opening the door. However, his smile froze, and Rita heard a surprised "Luna?". She leaned in, trying to get a look at the newcomer.

The blond entered the room with a bright “Hello Ronald,” and sat on the chair next to Harry, greeting the different members of the group that were looking at her quizzically. Still smiling, she suddenly paused when she saw Regulus, apparently uncertain of what to say. Rita was sure they had met at least twice, so why was she hesitating? “I’m sorry," she said after an awkward moment of silence, "but I’ve been wondering for a while, and today seems to be the day I should ask you. Do you prefer Réginald, Regulus, or Crookshanks?”

There was a sudden commotion, and Rita saw that nearly everyone had their wand pointed at her. In no time, Sirius’ expression had gone from curious to murderous, but it was the Granger girl that seemed the more dangerous in her opinion.

“How,” the threatening voice of Sirius asked, “do you know that, girl?”

“Oh, I’ve known for a while,” she answered smiling, apparently unaffected by the suddenly cold atmosphere. “You two have similar auras, so I suspected you were parents, cousins maybe, but then I saw Tonks and it was pretty evident that you were brothers. Crookshanks was obviously not a cat, but it was only when I met Réginald at the Cup that I understood.”

“Wait," the Weasley boy interrupted, "you knew he was not a cat, and you didn’t say anything?”

“Why would I?” the blond asked, clearly confused. “It was not the right time.”

“What do you mean, not the right time?” Rita asked, interested. The girl was talking nonsense, and yet her instinct was telling her something was worth the wait.

“Well, it had to be today,” she answered cryptically, taking a small package from her bag. Sirius reacted immediately, summoning it and carefully examining the brown paper. “I’m not sure you should try to open it,” she told him, “it took me a while to create that package.”

But Sirius was not listening, and his face grew alarmed when one of his spells came back emitting a dark glow. Rita decided it might be time for her to step in. The man was bound to ruin everything if he said a word.

“So, tell me… Luna, what is in that package?”

The question seemed to make the girl happy, and she beamed at Rita.

“The diadem of Ravenclaw, of course, but it’s been tainted.”

“Tainted?” Rita repeated, the word coming uneasily out of her mouth. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, it's possessed,” the girl said serenely. “But that’s not the first time I’ve seen that aura.”

“Really?” Rita asked, fascinated. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, but ignored them. She had the feeling that what she was doing was more important, and that it was exactly what Luna wanted. “When did you first see it?”

“In my first year, but it disappeared just before summer. Then, I saw it again, last year. I brought the diadem here, because you are apparently the ones supposed to take care of it. Can you help me?” she asked, looking at Rita intensely.

Rita stared at the girl, her mind racing to find the links between everything that had just been said. The diadem was Ravenclaw’s, a relic of the Founders. There was also the sword of Gryffindor, the Cup of Hufflepuff, and the locket of Slytherin. The locket had been a Horcrux. It had been possessed by You-Know-Who’s soul. Harry was a Horcrux, and the link between him and You-Know-Who had been dormant until last year. Ginny Weasley had been possessed by You-Know-Who during her first year at Hogwarts, and she and Luna Lovegood were the same age.

She blinked.

The diadem was another Horcrux, and somehow the Lovegood girl knew they were looking for it.

“Harry, darling,” she said, not looking away from the blond. “Why don’t you and your friends go ask for something to drink while the four of us have a little chat with Miss Lovegood?”

* * *

“So, dear sister of ours,” Ginny heard as soon as she entered the Common Room. “Had a nice day in Hogsmeade with little Neville?” 

“Yes,” Ginny answered, hoping her brothers would leave her in peace soon enough. Ron's rude behaviour was enough for a day. “Neville prepared the perfect date, thank you for your concern.”

“A perfect _date_ , do you hear that, Fred?” the first twin asked, a huge grin on his face.

“I do, I do, George,” the second twin answered. “But, to be honest, I didn’t know the perfect date to woo our sister consisted in creating a secret defence class where she would learn to protect herself against You-Know-Who, or make evil plans to evict Umbridge out of Hogwarts.”

Ginny froze, before glancing at the two of them. She had made sure no one she knew was there when they had entered the room, but the twins had an undeniable talent to know things they shouldn’t.

“What do you want?” she asked, sighing.

“Well," Fred answered, grinning, "our owl-line shop is still young, and we're trying to get new customers. The student population of Hogwarts being our main target, we thought we could provide you with a few samples. Of course, they would have to be used in front of the larger audience possible."

"There's also the question of our admission into the group," Fred added.

"Quite right Freddie," George agreed. "We're seventh years, we can't let kids like you try to learn defensive spells all by themselves."

Ginny snorted but had to admit that they would make a great addition. The twins might give the impression that they had learnt nothing during their time at Hogwarts, but she had seen them duel more than once, and they were _good_.

“Agreed.”

* * *

"SHE WHAT?"

On the other side of the mirror, Sirius was fuming. Hermione could see a vein throbbing on his forehead and she briefly wondered if that nice and _very_ old vase behind him was going to survive the next minutes of the discussion. Not that she would blame him if he did, really, but maybe his anger could be directed on someone other than a poor, innocent pottery.

"She used a Black Quill during Harry's detention," Regulus repeated for the second time. "You know the ones," he added, his voice a bit tense.

"Oh, yes," Sirius growled, "I know the ones."

Horrified, Hermione only needed to exchange a quick glance with Regulus to have her doubts confirmed, and she felt her stomach wrench in disgust. Walburga Black had used one on her own son. The worst was, she was pretty sure it was one of the lightest punishments the woman had come up with.

"How come she put him in detention in the first place?" Sirius hissed, his voice threatening, turning away from his brother and looking at his Godson. "I told you not to say anything to provoke her!"

" _And that's just what I did!_ " Harry answered angrily, "but she gave me a T for my last essay on Pixies and said I had to serve detention tonight because of that! What did you want me to do, really? "

Sirius opened his mouth and closed it immediately, before exhaling slowly.

"You're right," he said, his voice calmer. "I'm sorry, it's just that I… these quills are… I'm sorry," he repeated.

"It's not your fault, Sirius, she's been baiting him since the beginning of the term. It was only a question of time before she decided to find another way to punish him," Hermione told him, putting her arm on Harry in hopes she could calm her friend. "The question is, what should we do now? Tell McGonagall? Dumbledore? Fudge, maybe?"

Sirius took a few seconds to think before answering.

"Umbridge might have been sent by the Ministry, but she's a teacher and falls within Hogwarts's jurisdiction, so I'll go talk to Dumbledore first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," Harry sighed in relief, "I hope this will be enough."

But even if it was, Hermione thought grimly, the woman would find another way to hurt Harry. They needed her gone, but she knew Fudge would never take her out of Hogwarts.

"I think we should go," Regulus interrupted, looking at his watch, "curfew is in forty minutes, but we better leave now."

"Alright," Sirius said, "I'll see you three soon enough. Harry, we'll talk later," he added, "but this time with Snape."

Hermione and Ron exchanged a worried glance, both of them trying to forget that Snape was going to perform a custom-made ritual on Harry. They still had no idea why, but the grim look they had sometimes caught between the adults had not reassured them at all.

After saying their goodbyes, Regulus transformed and Harry put the mirror back in his bag, before taking the Map out of it.

"Alright", he said, "let's see if the corridor is clear."

Ron, who had been looking behind his shoulder, suddenly took the Map from his hand, brows furrowed, his expression transitioning from curiosity to clear disbelief, before settling on exasperation. "Merlin curse that girl," he groaned, opening the door furiously and leaving the room, "if she thinks I won't tell mum she's fucking wrong!" Hermione and Harry exchanged a confused look before chasing after him, Regulus on their trail.

They ran for a few minutes between the corridors, and Hermione cursed the boys' Quidditch training when she saw them climb the stairs two by two. They were on the fourth floor, nearly at the exact opposite of the Tower when Ron finally slowed down, checking the Map a second time before looking at the door and casting a detection charm on it.

"Reg," he said, "I need your help mate, I won't be able to dismantle those wards."

Regulus, who apparently did not understand what was happening either, turned back into his human form and took the Map angrily from Ron's hand.

"What the Hell was that?" he asked sharply. "Do you always rush into things without any explanation? Merlin, have you not learned anything from what we taught you during summer break? What if it was real life and not school? You could have been putting your friends in danger!" he continued, not caring for Ron's suddenly guilty face. Her friend opened his mouth to retort but was cut short by the sound of a door opening, and the angry voice of his sister.

"How the fuck did you find us, and _who the fuck is_ _Regulus Black?_ "

XXX

"Ginny, something's wrong," Neville told her discretely as she was supervising the Creevey brothers practicing their disarming charm. "Three students crossed the wards we put at the end of the corridor; your brother found us."

"Impossible," she said, hastily taking the surveillance parchment from her boyfriend's hands. Unrolling it, she only needed to have a glance to see his suspicions confirmed. She swore quietly, trying to figure out what to do. The first official meeting of Dumbledore's Army, and Ron had already managed to discover everything. Could he stop trying to make her life a misery?

There was a sudden flicker on the parchment, and a new name appeared in front of her eyes. Reading it, she frowned. Regulus Black? There was no Regulus, nor Black in that school, she was sure of it. Something was definitely wrong. Walking purposefully at the door, she quickly removed the small wards Neville had created and opened it, coming face to face with her brother and his friends.

"How the fuck did you find us, and _who the Hell is_ _Regulus Black?_ " she shouted, making the four of them jump. Their shock was short-lived, however, and a moment later they had taken their wands out and were pointing them at her. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and that was when she saw him: dark hairs, grey eyes, a pale face, and his wand aimed at her heart. He seemed vaguely familiar, and she was trying to remember where she could have seen him when Ron lowered his wand, moaning.

"Merlin, Snape's gonna kill me for sure."

"RONALD!" Hermione shouted, "don't you think you've already done enough for a day?"

"Ginny, what's happening?"

Ginny turned around and saw that the entire DA was at the door, trying to take a look at what was happening outside of the classroom. There was a heavy sigh, and the stranger lowered his wand as well, gesturing towards the door.

"In, everyone," he said. His tone clearly indicated that they had no choice, so Ginny nodded towards Neville, who pushed everyone back inside. The trio entered, followed by the stranger who put new wards on the door, before conjuring a thin barrier around the gathered students. Surprised, Ginny touched it, before suddenly taking her hand away. Looking at her fingers, she saw that a small burn had appeared, as if put her hand in a fire. Behind her, angry mutters rose, and she heard Neville join them.

"Alright," the stranger said, surveying the room, before turning back on the trio, "time for another lesson, I suppose. Your cover has been discovered by someone, or a group of people. What do you do?"

"Find their leader," Harry answered immediately.

"Make sure they don't tell anything," Hermione added sharply.

"Change their memories?" Ron suggested eagerly.

Ginny heard a few gasps behind her and turned around, giving a sharp look to the younger students. As if they were going to let that happen without a fight.

"Good plans, all of them. But the problem is, they are not your enemies, but your friends. Any new idea?"

"I've got one," Neville said before anyone could answer, "you stop fucking around and just explain what the fuck is going on."

"I like the general idea, but I'm not very fond of the way you chose to express it, Neville" the stranger told him, choosing to ignore the shocked face of her boyfriend. _How on Earth did he know Neville's name?_ "Sadly, that's not what I have in mind either. The Potters trusted their friends, and one of them betrayed them. So, I'm asking again: what do you do?"

"You don't tell them everything, and make sure they can't reveal what they learned," a dreamy voice answered, and Ginny saw that Luna had come forward and was now smiling at the man, her eyes sparkling.

"Luna Lovegood," he said, looking at her curiously. "I thought there were only Gryffindors here."

"Oh, that was the case, I just happened to be in the area when they arrived and followed everyone inside. They had already put their wards when they found out I was there, but at that point I had heard everything so they decided that I could stay."

"I see. Well, that is a good answer even if I don't particularly like it, but I'm afraid this will have to do. Ronald," he added, his voice suddenly colder, "be sure that we will have a thorough discussion concerning what happened tonight, and I can assure you that you will wish Severus was in my place."

Ginny heard her brother gulp loudly and saw that his face had turned grey. The man straightened and was about to continue when Hermione suddenly came to his side and put her hand on his arm, her face grave. Ginny's eyes narrowed at the familiar gesture. Were they…?

"Regulus, are you sure this is the right thing to do?" she asked, sounding extremely nervous. "You know what could happen if the truth fell into the wrong hands."

"Yeah," Ron added, "we should talk to professor Snape before deciding anything."

" _Snape again_?" the twins blurted out, while Neville exclaimed, frustrated, " _but_ _what truth?_ "

"Alright alright," Harry said, raising his arms pacifically. "Hermione, Regulus is precisely here to take that kind of decision, and I trust him on that subject. Ron," he continued, sounding a bit desperate, "I think you should just stop talking for the moment."

"Thank you," Regulus said. "I suppose one of you two is the leader, right?" he asked, looking at her and Neville. " Let's make a deal. I ask a question, you ask one. What do you think?"

Ginny looked at boyfriend, who shrugged angrily. He just wanted for things to get back to normal.

"Alright," she answered, "but I ask first. Who are you?"

"Regulus Black. What were you doing here?"

"Training, but you evaded my question. Who are you _really?_ " she asked, observing his reactions attentively. He smirked.

"I am many things, but I think we'll settle with this: I am what you could call Harry's bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?" Neville asked, suddenly more interested. "Against whom?"

"The Dark Lord, his Death Eaters, even Umbridge I suppose. Harry's been attacked too many times already, and I'm here to help him when something bad happens. But I didn't get to ask my question: why were you training?" the man inquired.

"To be prepared," Neville told him darkly. "For when Voldemort strikes. By the way, you called him _the Dark Lord_ , why? Isn't it precisely his title amongst the Death Eaters?"

 _That_ , had the man pause for a moment, and she felt Neville grew restless as they waited for the answer. Her own mind was racing, trying to interpret the now oppressing silence that had conquered the room. Could he really be a Death Eater? But then, neither of his friends had moved when Neville had asked, so did they already know the truth? It was evident that they trusted him implicitly, so what was the story behind all this?

"I suppose you can say that I was one once," he finally declared, "but that is the past. Do you…" 

"No, you wait, you scum," the suddenly harsh voice of Neville cut him off. "You can't just expect us to believe you like this, can you? I don't know what you told them," he said, nodding in the trio's direction, "but that won't work with us. Everyone knows that former or not, a Death Eater stays a Death Eater, no matter what lies he tells. People like you should be in Azkaban, or _dead_."

"NEVILLE!" the shocked voice of Hermione exclaimed, as Ron and Harry simultaneously shouted "come one mate!" and "you can't say that!"

The tension that had been building for a few minutes seemed ready to explode, and Ginny decided that she couldn't let her boyfriend continue on that path. However, before she could say anything, Regulus approached them, looking directly at Neville.

"I know of your family's history so I won't say anything, but next time you insult me, I won't be so lenient," he growled. "My story is not yours to learn, but trust me when I say that not every Death Eater was marked willingly."

Ginny frowned at the comment, and something clicked in her mind. His story didn't add up.

"Wait a second," she said, "there's at least two things that are wrong in your claims. Your name, and the fact that you said you were marked. Sirius Black is the last of his family, and you are too young to have been marked by Voldemort."

"You're right," the man replied with a hint of a smile, "and yet it is the truth. I won't bore you with the details, mainly because I still don't know what happened, let's just say that one day I was in 1979, and the next it was 1993."

"Are you trying to say that you travelled _forward_ in time?" 

"I did," Regulus said seriously, and Ginny found herself unable to say anything for a few seconds. There was no way it was possible, right? But after all, she _did_ live in a magical world.

"Alright, so you really were a Death Eater, then?" she asked again, and he nodded. "But not anymore?" he shook his head. "And when you said you were related to Sirius Black, it makes you what, his cousin? Brother?"

"Brother," Ron answered for him, "he's Sirius' brother. And he's clean, I mean, I didn't like him at the beginning either, but trust me when I say he's on our side."

"So," Angelina interrupted, "this is all very nice, but now that we've established you won't kill us, would you mind putting that barrier away? It's nearly curfew, and we need to get back to the Tower."

"You're right," Ginny realized, yet she continued to stare at the man, "but there's still one I want to know. You said you were something like Harry's bodyguard, yes?" she asked the man, and when he had nodded, she continued. "But, given that your brother is not in the Order, you're not doing that on Dumbledore's orders."

"I'm not," he answered, sounding a bit uneasy. "We all agreed that it would be best for Harry to have someone he could trust at his side."

She brushed away his subtle jab at Dumbledore and did the same for his reference to his unnamed allies, focusing on her question.

"What's your secret cover to watch over him, then? Invisibility cloak? Disillusion spell? Transfiguration? No wait that wouldn't work, you're obviously not a teacher and anyone would find you out if you were a student. And you suddenly appeared on my parchment, meaning that you were not…" she paused, realizing the truth. "… you were not human, were you?"

Regulus had suddenly blanched and was looking almost desperate. She tried to think a bit harder, attempting to connect the dots. An animal, always near Harry, who had appeared two or three years ago…

Wait a minute.

"No way," she exclaimed, "you're the bloody cat?!"

An oppressive silence followed her words, as if the information was sinking in, and then Neville suddenly shouted.

"YOU MEAN THAT PERVERT WAS THERE WHEN I CHANGED?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, I like Regulus, I really do. But I just love creating embarassing situations as well ;p
> 
> About the name of the chapter: there were many encounters, don't you think? Which one was your favourite??
> 
> About the aura: you have no idea how long it took to find a plausible explanation. No idea. I hope it's logical! And no, I don't intend for the trio to find out about Harry's scar.
> 
> About Luna: you'll see more of her, but I don't think I'll use her POV anymore, or maybe occasionaly. I needed it here, but I'm not sure I'll have use for it in the near future at least. However, she'll be here more often ;)
> 
> About the wards Neville & Ginny put: detection wards at the beginning of the corridor: rings an alarm when someone crosses them, and shows their names on a parchment. Small ward on the door, so that no one can open it.
> 
> About Regulus' detection inside of the castle: alright, this took me a while to figure out that as well, because yes, I discovered that with everything I had said before, it wasn't working anymore and poor Regulus shouldn't have been in Hogsmead.  
> \- Wards: Dumbledore put anti animagi wards but Regulus was brought inside by the elves, and they don't have the same restrictions. The tunnel under the Shack is part of the wards as well  
> \- Floo: the Headmaster cannot know how it's used, because it's a personnal mean of transportation and put in place by the Ministry. It's probably under surveillance by the Ministry, but they can't say who is using it. They just know how many people take it, and where they go, so Regulus can pass for Snape if he wants. Hope that's clear enough.
> 
> About Neville & Ginny's creating the DA: they don't have the same informations as the trio and are very pro Dumbledore!  
> Members: Ginny, Neville, the Creevey's brothers, Gryffindors 3d & 4th year, Angelina, Lee, Alicia, Katie Bell, Fred & George, Luna.
> 
> And finally, about the end: honestly, this wasn't supposed to happen at all, and then I suddenly had this idea and I just had to change what I had planned, surely you understand? I'll need to make some adjustments, but don't you think it was a nice surprise? It was one for me, at least, haha.
> 
> I'll try to post the next chapter in two weeks, but no promises, because as you just read I changed a few things soooo, maybe I just first reread my notes and rearrange that :D don't worry, I've already got the beginning and the end of the chapter. That's what's in between that's hard to write ;p


	23. The Ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy I accidentally posted the notes BEFORE I had the time to add the chapter, and clicked on 'post' instead of 'save as draft'. It was supposed to be posted tomorrow, but because I've already had comments about it I'm posting it tonight (^-^)' Again, so sorry!!!
> 
> _______________
> 
> Hello! I hope you are well :D I'm very excited to post this chapter, and I hope you will enjoy what happens!
> 
> WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
> 
> My ritual includes some blood and paintful experience, so please be cautious if you don't really like that kind of stuff. It's not torture and I'd even stay it's clearly not the worse description that exists but well, it could be uncomfortable to read if you don't like that.

The rumours had begun easily.

First, there had been a new Decree, announcing that the High Inquisitor had the power to choose the disciplinary methods she thought were the more appropriate, and that neither the teachers nor the Headmaster could contradict them.

Then, there had been an article in the Prophet explaining how both the student and the teaching body thought that Umbridge's techniques had helped reduce the number of misbehaviours and pranks in the castle, but the teacher's reactions at breakfast had been so impressive that no one had been really duped by the authenticity of the testimonies.

But the gossip between the students had reached its peak when, less than twenty-four hours later, the Great Hall had been invaded by a hundred of owls that had dropped pamphlets on the tables, where it was explained that Umbridge had already used Black Quills on several students and planned on reintroducing other corporeal punishments like whipping, all of that with the Minister's approval.

Umbridge had tried to explain that those claims were _of course_ false, spread by people that had sadly no trust in the Ministry, but had been interrupted by Fred Weasley asking Neville loudly how he had gotten a scar stating that 'he should not tell lies'. Professor McGonagall had left her seat abruptly to examine the boy's hand, and her face had gone purple so quickly that Dumbledore had come himself to see the mark. He had turned his head sharply in Umbridge's direction and had coolly asked her to come with him in his office and they had left the Great Hall, most of the teachers in tow.

There had been a short moment of confusion, before half of the school moved to Neville's side to examine his hand. When asked about its origin the boy had first shrugged, then revealed that it had been his punishment for claiming that Voldemort was back.

After that, of course, it wasn't really surprising that the students began questioning the Ministry's intentions behind Umbridge's nomination as a teacher, and why they needed to use such drastic methods against the students, especially the ones claiming that You-Know-Who was back.

* * *

**Three days earlier**

Sometimes, Severus wondered when Regulus had stopped being the perfect embodiment of a Slytherin. Was it when he had opened his eyes almost three years ago, and realized that he was no longer marked? When he had discovered that his mother was no longer alive, or when he had reunited with his brother? Was it maybe the fact that he had been living with Gryffindors and that their behaviour had rubbed off on him? Or was it just that Severus had years of teaching behind him, and knew when someone was about to reveal something _very_ bad?

Regulus was standing in front of him, the look of someone who had made a mistake written all over his face. Alright, maybe it wasn't really _there_ , Regulus had been a Slytherin after all, and had been raised as a Black, but there were very subtle details that were betraying his apparently calm demeanour, and that Severus had learned to recognize. A tensed jaw. Slightly furrowed brows. A quick look towards the door.

"Spit it out," he told his friend, breaking the tense silence, "you can't have done worse than your brother."

Regulus grimaced slightly, before clearing his throat. "Actually," he began hesitantly, "I'd say it's far worse. But in my defence, I wasn't the one who did it. I merely tried to fix what Ronald had done." Severus pursed his lips when he heard the beginning and groaned when the ginger was mentioned. "You see," his friend continued, "we had been talking to Sirius and we were about to go back to the Tower when Ronald saw something on the Map and…"

"Regulus," Severus interrupted. "To. The. Point."

"At least a fifth of the Gryffindors knows of my existence; and I agreed to teach them how to defend themselves in case they were attacked by Death Eaters," the young man said quickly, and Severus knocked his bottle of ink on the essay he had been grading. "And they also know about you," he added with a grimace, stepping back as soon as he had finished his sentence.

It took a few seconds for the second part of the sentence to reach his brain, but as soon as the connection had been made, Severus crushed his quill between his fingers. "THEY KNOW ABOUT ME?" he shouted, and Regulus went white.

"I really did my best," his friend pleaded, "but I couldn't really obliviate everyone, right?"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE!" Severus thundered, "who knows how long it will take for the entire school to learn about my cover and your existence? Two hours? Three at most? What about Dumbledore? What about Umbridge? WHAT ABOUT THE DARK LORD? _Do you realize what you have done_?"

"No one will know!" Regulus promised, "Ginny Weasley had already made everyone sign a jinxed parchment, and I added my own protections."

"A jinxed parchment?" Severus asked, his anger suddenly forgotten, "why would she need that?"

"She and Neville Longbottom created a secret group in order to learn how to properly defend themselves and try to ruin Umbridge's life at Hogwarts," his friend explained, "they called it _Dumbledore's Army_ ," he added, the irony clear in his voice. Severus couldn't fault him; it _was_ a stupid name.

"What do they know?"

"About you? That you work for the Order as a spy, but I'm afraid it was the twins' idea to explain what they had learned about Dumbledore's plans so far. I only added that we were friends and that you were making sure no one knew about me."

"What about the protections you mentioned?"

"A binding magical contract that mimics the effect of the one used in the Department of Mysteries coupled with a modified version of the Langlock charm. I will know if someone reveals my existence or your real allegiance."

"What key words did you use?"

"A couple of sentences like 'professor Snape works for the Order' or 'Regulus Black is an animagi'. I had Hermione help me for that part."

Severus looked at Regulus, thoughtful. The girl would make sure there were no loophole, so there might be a chance for the contract to work correctly.

"Animagi?" Severus could not help but ask.

"Yes," his friend answered in a clipped tone. "Animagi." Severus' lips quirked up but he decided it would be best not to comment, so he asked the question he dreaded the most instead:

"Who is part of the group?" he inquired, hoping that neither Brown nor Patil had managed to enter. If that was the case, they were doomed. Those girls wouldn't be able to hold onto a secret even if their lives were in danger.

"Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan, Alicia Spinnet, the Weasley twins, Katie Bell, Neville Longbottom, the second and fourth years. Ah, and Luna Lovegood."

"No one else in Potter's class?"

"No, Neville said Thomas and Finnigan didn't seem to think the Dark Lord was back, and Ginny vetoed the girls as well."

"Did Longbottom really start a secret defence group?" Severus finally asked, realizing how stupid it sounded. After all, the boy was afraid of his own shadow and incapable of producing a single spell. It was a miracle that he had been able to pass the first-year exams, and he had long suspected that Augusta had something to do with that.

"Actually, it was Ginny Weasley, but trust me when I say that Longbottom could have done that himself. It seems that the Dark Lord's return and Harry's lack of reaction made him think someone needed to help the truth spread. Did you know both of them went to Umbridge for detention?"

"Who? Longbottom and Weasley?" Severus asked, unable to hide his surprise. He did not remember Minerva complaining about it, wasn't Umbridge supposed to tell the Heads when she gave a detention, like the other teachers did?

"Yes. She used Black Quills."

Severus let out an indignant shout.

"Black Quills?" he repeated in disbelief. "She used Dark Quills on _students_?"

"Yes, we learned that earlier today, when Harry came back from his own detention."

"And I thought your cousin was a sadist, clearly this woman could compete for her title. How come no one said anything?"

"They're Gryffindors," Regulus shrugged, "and I doubt anyone other than the three of them went to detention anyway."

"I suppose you're right", Severus recognized, "only Gryffindors are stupid enough to think that saying nothing about being tortured is bravery."

"So," his friend began hesitantly, "what do you think?"

Severus sighed. The situation was disastrous, but under control. At least for the moment.

"I'll have a word with them all," he finally said, "you make sure that Weasley knows I'll find a way to make him scrub my cauldrons until the end of the year."

* * *

**Present day**

Regulus had stopped almost as soon as he entered the room, impressed by the magical display. The place they had arrived in was truly remarkable, and Ron and Harry had sprung in the direction of what looked like a training dummy while Hermione had immediately summoned four huge books and begun skimming through the pages as fast as she could. Even Severus looked mildly impressed and was currently examining what looked like an antique potion set, and a collection of old articles on the subject.

"Oh look, there are the other doors," the dreamy voice of Luna said and Regulus followed the blond, curious. She turned, smiling at him, and both his eyebrows shot up when he saw that the first door had a sign with his name on it. "I'm pretty sure it will be better than Harry's bed or professor Snape's quarters, right?" Luna asked.

Regulus did not answer immediately, too busy cataloguing the interior of the small room he had just found. It looked pretty similar to Severus', except that there were no chimney or kitchenette, and he was surprised to discover that his belongings were already here. "You're right," he finally said, "thank you for thinking of me. Where are the other doors leading?" he asked the girl.

"Both open to a Gryffindor dorm, the seventh years," she explained. "That way, it will be easier for you, or for them, to come here without detection."

"I… Really, Luna, this is amazing, I would never have thought of that myself," he admitted. "But won't the Room disappear if I leave it? And what about you, won't it be dangerous for you to come all by yourself?" The blonde's smile grew, and she took a small key that had appeared on the wall when he had asked his question.

"Don't worry for me, no one pays attention to what I do anyway. After the Room disappears, you'll only need to open a door with that key to find yourself back here. Apart from you, I'm the only one capable of summoning that specific Room."

The urge to ask how she could possibly be sure was there, but he knew from the few discussions he had held with her that the answer would not be satisfying.

"I see. Again, thank you Luna, what you did was, _is_ amazing."

The blond seemed to glow under the praise.

"You should tell her, by the way."

Regulus, who had begun to move away from the doors to join the rest of the group, stopped right on his tracks, frozen by the sudden change of subject. Slowly, he turned his head in her direction, trying to hide his uneasiness.

"I can't," he replied simply.

"Why?"

He hesitated. There was a part of him that feared to be rejected, but also…

"She's still… she's still trying to come to terms with what happened last year. She's discreet about it, but I've seen how uneasy she gets when a boy approaches her, even if it's just for studying." Or worse, he thought, remembering McLaggen's poor attempts to invite her to the next Hogsmeade's weekend. The sixth-year student had cornered her after dinner two days ago, and only Harry's firm intervention had helped Hermione escape his clutches. The boy clearly lacked some basic knowledge about consent, and Regulus had made sure to send him a book about courting the day after that. Book that, by pure luck, had been enchanted to follow its recipient while yelling its contents until it had been read from cover to cover. He couldn't help but smirk at the memory.

"And you think she'll reject you?" He looked in direction of Hermione, making sure once again that she could not hear them before nodding, his cheeks pink. "Well, she won't," the blond revealed, "so you should tell her before it's too late".

"Before it's too late?" Regulus exclaimed, suddenly alarmed. "What do you mean, before it's too late? Is… is something going to happen to her?"

"To her, to you, who knows," Luna answered cryptically. "It's war, things happen to everyone all the time."

* * *

The first training session had been a huge hit among the students and, while he firmly denied it, even Neville had seemed impressed by Harry's and Regulus' demonstration. Hermione knew her friend was still having a hard time to accept that an _Ex_ -Death Eater, the cousin of the woman who had tortured his parents, could be on their side, but she was pretty sure that, once he accepted to talk with him about his past, Neville would understand that things were not only black or white. That, sometimes, they could be grey.

"How are you doing, 'Mione?" Ron asked as he sank in the seat next to her. "Reg did great, don't you think?"

"Harry wasn't bad either," she replied.

"Yeah, you could see that he liked the challenge. His mood has improved a bit lately," her friend told her, "but I can't help wondering what will happen to him when…"

"When Snape gets him to Sirius? I wonder too," she revealed, and she swallowed hard. Both men had told them that they would finally have answers after that, but they had refused to share what would happen to their friend during the ritual. They knew it would be dangerous, could be fatal even, but that was all. She really hoped they were wrong.

"What if he… I mean, do you think he could die?"

"I don't know," Hermione admitted. "But, from what I understand, not performing the Ritual would be worse."

"To think that I once wished I was in his shoes, now I just wonder what is going to happen to him next."

"Well, I suppose it could be worse. He has Sirius, now, and a lot of people willing to help him when things go wrong. I mean, even professor Snape is assisting in a way."

"Please, don't talk about Snape…" Ron pleaded, suddenly looking sick. "You have no idea what I have to do in that lab, no idea."

"Oh, come on, he couldn't give you more than a week of detention, and it's just preparing potion ingredients."

" _Dead spiders_ , Hermione, _he's making me slice dead spiders._ And you know very well it won't be the last detention I have; he'll make sure to give me more next time I fail my potion!"

"I'm sorry for you, but you know you deserve it, Ron."

"Yeah," he admitted, looking hopeless. "Do you think they'll ever get tired of telling Reg about his feline grace when he fights?" he asked after a while, looking at his brothers teasing their friend.

"I hope they will, but it could have been worse," she said, remembering how delighted the twins had been when they had understood that Regulus was the same person as _Réginald_. So far, they had given her a complete WonderWitch pack and what suspiciously looked like edible lingerie. She had kept the pack (because she wanted to study the potions, of course), but had vanished the second package as soon as she had seen it.

"Hello Ronald," the happy voice of Ginny interrupted, and Hermione saw Ron looking quickly for an escape route. Ginny's attitude towards him had improved since she had discovered their secret, but she still hadn't forgiven her brother for not accepting her in their group and sending a letter to their mother. "Great training, honestly, better than what I expected. Such a shame we weren't paired together," she continued sweetly. Ron mumbled something and left, hurrying in Harry's direction. "Merlin, sometimes I wonder if we are related," the girl sighed, sitting next to Hermione. "Not even capable of facing me when I'm not hexing him, how did he end up in Gryffindor?"

"Oh, it's just that you never saw him in the situations when he needs to be a true Gryffindor," Hermione answered fondly. "But he doesn't lack courage, trust me when I say that. Nor does he hesitate to sacrifice himself when he needs to. I'll admit that there is still some place for progress, but he's changed a lot since I first met him, and I think Regulus' help had a lot to do with that."

"Regulus, yes," the red-headed began, "who knew a Slytherin could become so popular amongst Gryffindor girls, hm?"

Hermione turned her head quickly in Ginny's direction, heartbeat picking up.

"What do you mean, popular?"

"Well, I heard Alicia say that he was really cute and Katie seemed to agree. She's been wondering if he was looking for a girlfriend ever since you denied being his."

"I…"

"So, I'm just saying, it's obvious you like him, and I'm pretty sure he likes you too, so you should make your move before it's too late, don't you think?"

* * *

"I'm _so_ glad you accepted to come, Severus," Umbridge nearly purred while serving him a cup of tea. He tried not to look offended when he recognized the smell of the beverage – _rose flavoured tea,_ of all the variety that existed on the British soil she had chosen _ROSE FLAVOURED TEA –_ and discreetly put some anti-poison in his cup before taking a first sip. His stomach rebelled, clearly offended.

"I know our first encounters weren't… pleasant, and I truly am sorry for that, it seems that I trusted dear Cornelius' opinion a bit too much. Of course, I agree when he says that the Potter boy is extremely unpleasant, but I can't see how someone like you, the Head of Slytherin, cannot be trusted."

Severus reluctantly chose to take another sip of his tea rather than to answer. If the woman was delusional enough to have forgotten that he had shown _dear Cornelius_ his Dark Mark and agreed with Dumbledore, then he needed to use it to his advantage. Merlin blesses Regulus and his fluffy half-kneazle form for allowing him a chance to know more about the woman's plan. He just hoped she wouldn't take whatever this little reunion was for a _date_.

"You might have heard," she continued, sounding extremely offended, "that some students have begun using truly _atrocious_ products to disturb my classes, and yesterday I've been attacked – yes, you've heard correctly, _attacked_! – by some monstrous teacup that tried to bite my nose! Let's just say, enough is enough and, as the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, I can't let this continue."

"Quite right," Severus managed to say, trying not to choke on the pastry he had taken the risk to eat.

"So, because I told him the other teachers, and even the Headmaster were reluctant to do something about it, Cornelius agreed that the Prefects' authority was not enough, and that a special unit of students should be created, and I immediately suspected you would be able to provide me with the names of some _supportive_ students."

"Certainly," he answered, thinking rapidly. Honestly, anyone in Slytherin would agree to do the job, but he didn't know what powers the students would have, so he had to choose wisely. "Mr. Malfoy is, of course, the best element I have, but Messrs. Crabbe and Goyle would be an excellent addition, as well as Messrs. Montague and Warrington. Of course, the Slytherin House also has some pleasant ladies, and I'm certain Miss. Parkinson and Miss. Bulstrode would be honoured to be part of the group."

Apart from Malfoy those weren't really bright students, so he hoped they would not make too much damage.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Severus," the woman said, batting her eyelashes rapidly as she spoke. "Can I count on you to speak to them? I'll be waiting for you all this Sunday just before tea, so that we can work out the details."

"I can hardly wait."

* * *

"Is Harry there yet?" the boy asked for what seemed the hundredth time and Rita took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Sirius had disappeared ten minutes earlier to get his Godson and Snape from Hogsmeade, and Rita had been left alone with Dudley and his mother. Petunia Dursley was extremely unhappy to be here and reminded her of Walbruga's portrait during her good days, and her son seemed only interested by his cousin's fate.

"They should be here soon, Dudley," she answered in her most soothing voice, "the Ritual is to take place at midnight, and professor Snape needs to prepare the both of you before. Sirius has been gone for only ten minutes, and they were to meet at nine thirty. It means they won't be back for another three or four minutes," she explained.

"Oh," he said. "Alright then. Do you know if there is any juice around here? I heard it was good to drink some juice after a blood donation and I forgot to bring some."

"Diddy, Black told you they only needed a bit of blood, I'm sure it will only be a drop or two. Right?" his mother asked, waiting for Rita to confirm.

"Honestly, I have no idea, I've never done a ritual in my whole life."

"Aren't you a witch, though?" the woman asked a bit sharply. "Aren't you all supposed to make… potions, or rituals and that kind of stuff?"

"Of course not, this is a very specialized area of Magic. I'm a journalist, I don't know a thing about rituals. And I've always been terrible at potions, I buy all of them."

"Oh," Petunia Dursley answered, as if disappointed. "So, how do you use your… magic, then?"

"Well, I'm good at Charms, so I always use one or two spells on my hair. I'm also very competent when it comes to breaking some wards and altering my appearance. And of course, until recently, I could transform into a beetle to find some scoop, but I haven't been able to change back since my accident."

"The accident, yes. It was when you… you helped Harry, right?" the woman asked again, trying to feign disinterest.

"Yes."

"You're very brave," the Dudley boy interrupted. "I'm very glad you saved him, he's my only cousin you know? It would have been sad if he had died."

"Yes, it would have," she heard Petunia Dursley mutter, before looking apprehensive when she realized that she had said it aloud. Fortunately for her the crack of an apparition was heard and soon Sirius, Harry and Snape entered.

"Everything alright?" Sirius asked, surveying the room.

"Of course," Rita answered calmly. "We were just having a nice little chat. No problem getting out of the castle?" she asked Snape.

"None," he said. "Miss Lovegood's discovery is a real blessing, I must say. the Room provided us with a tunnel that exited in an abandoned house at the edge of the village. She and Regulus stayed in the Room; they'll wait for our return. Now, if you don't mind, I need to prepare the ritual. Potter, Dursley, come with me."

The boys left the room, following the Potion teacher, and Rita found herself alone with Sirius. She was about to leave when she realized that the man was now gazing into space, looking nervous.

"Come on, Black, don't lose that Gryffindor courage when you need it the most."

"It's just… I don't want to lose him, you know? He's Lily and James' son, but he's also mine now, and I'm afraid of what could happen to him if the Ritual goes wrong."

"It will work," she told him firmly, taking his hand in hers and guiding him out of the room. "You can trust Snape on that."

* * *

Severus eyes surveyed the motionless form of Potter for a few seconds, trying to keep his face impassive. For the first time since he had met him the boy looked at peace, and it was only this sight that had made Severus realize that Harry Potter's life had not been an easy one, especially lately. Oh sure, Severus had had a worse childhood, and he had hated most of his time at Hogwarts, but at least he hadn't been forced to face the Dark Lord three times before the age of fifteen. Or hadn't had to prove his sanity to more than half of the wizarding population. Or hadn't had to be put under a magical induced sleep so that he could be freed from a part of a soul that had been in his head since he was one year old.

He felt the air shift behind him and turned swiftly, only to find that the Dursley boy had left his mother's side and was now looking at him intently.

"Can I help?" he asked, gesturing at the ingredients that had been put on the ground. Severus looked at the boy for a few seconds, making up his mind.

"Take this bag of dried sage, and put everything in the four censers. The four cups made of metal," he added, when he realized that Dudley Dursley was apparently as bright as Gregory Goyle. Maybe he should introduce the two of them? Both boys seemed to have more muscle than brain.

The teenager gave him a happy smile and took the bag and the censers a few meters from where they stood, opening the bag of sage. Satisfied, Severus summoned his broom and left the ground, waiting until he was high enough to begin drawing the banishing circle. Carefully, he levitated the huge pot of salt around Potter's body and began versing its contents. It took him almost fifteen minutes to complete the sphere, as he had to take several measurements to make sure it was perfect but once he was done, he only needed to add the runes he had chosen and it would be complete.

"Do I need to cut myself now?" he heard the boy ask. He had found the silver knife, and was observing it with interest.

"No!" Severus answered quickly, hoping he didn't sound as exasperated as he really was. "I'm nearly done, go back to you mother and wait, I'll call you when everything is ready."

It took another ten minutes to draw the runes, and Severus went a bit higher in the sky to observe the circle before going back to the ground, happy with the result.

"It's nearly midnight," he said to the group of people that had gathered around Black, "the boy can come now."

Dudley Dursley came out of the circle, chest puffed out with pride, and Severus saw that Petunia was now glaring in his direction.

"One single hair out of place Snape," she threatened, "and I'll kill you with my bare hands."

He ignored her with practiced ease, focusing on the rest of the group.

"Remember: whatever happens, you can't intervene. Dudley here won't be taken as a possible vessel because he is a Muggle, and Lupin knows how to protect himself, but each one of you could become the perfect container for one, if not both souls. So, stay behind the wards," he warned, giving a pointed glance in Tonks' direction. "Lupin," he told the man, "I want you near me with the fang in case I need the tiara gone."

That said, he went back to where Potter, and now his cousin, was, and took the Tiara out of his bag, levitating it warily on the sleeping boy's chest. There was only little hope for the part of the soul stored inside of it to leave, but since Lovegood had insisted they 'helped clean it', he had accepted to try. Maybe the fact that there was another part near it, and that today was Samhain would help. If not, well. Those fangs weren't only potion ingredients, right?

"Dudley," he said, and the boy looked up, "Do you remember the steps we discussed?"

"You cut Harry's head, then my hand, then I put some blood on the crown-thing and my hand on Harry's head. And you sing."

"That's about it," Severus agreed, knowing it was the best he could get from the boy. Honestly, Petunia wasn't that stupid, had he inherited his intellect from his father as well?

"Very well, let's begin," he said after checking his watch. He moved his wand in Potter's direction, guiding the knife above his head and opened the scar in a swift move. He took a deep breath and, when he was sure he was ready, began chanting the incantation he had crafted. " _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter est libero, hospes animae, relinque corporis_."

The first words had barely left his mouth when Potter's eyes suddenly snapped open. At the same moment the tiara twitched and rolled on the ground. Quickly, Severus put a Full Body-Bind Curse on Potter, before sticking the tiara to his chest. Dudley was staring at his cousin with huge eyes and turned his head in Severus' direction, an inquiring look on his face. Severus nodded, and the boy presented his hand in display, waiting for him to cut it. As soon as it was down, he grabbed the tiara and put some blood on it, before smashing his hand on Potter's head.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The scream that left Potter's mouth was the most horrible thing that Severus had ever heard, and he felt the hair on his head stand. In front of him, Dudley stiffened and paled, but continued to hold his hand on his cousin's forehead. It was as if three voices were speaking at the same time, and Severus realized, horrified, that it was the case.

"DUDLEY STOP, STOP! – _WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU STUPID MUGGLE_ – **YOU'VE BEEN HORRIBLE TOWARDS ME FOR YEARS, DUDLEY, AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP? –** PLEASE DUDLEY MAKE IT STOP! – _LEAVE_ _THIS BODY ALONE, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I COULD DO IF_ – **YOU'RE JUST USELESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL ACHIEVE BY DOING THAT –** I DON'T WANT TO DIE, PLEASE DUDLEY PLEASE!"

"Don't stop, boy," Tonks shouted from behind, "it's lying, nothing Harry says is true, you're doing well, keep going!"

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter expedio, hospes animae, relinque corporis_ ," Severus continued, watching the scene closely. It seemed that there was some kind of reaction, because the tiara had begun glowing red, as if heated by a fire, and suddenly it was only Potter's voice that they were hearing.

"PLEASE TAKE IT OUT, IT'S GOING INSIDE OF MY CHEST, PLEASE TAKE IT OUT!"

Alarmed, Severus looked at the tiara and saw that the clothes around it had disappeared, burned by the heat, and that it was melting the flesh. He gestured in Lupin's direction, and the man immediately went to the boy's side, examining the damages.

"I'M DYING, TAKE IT OUT I'M DYING!" Potter continued screaming, and Severus carried on as Lupin tried to detach the tiara from Potter, cutting the flesh around it directly. The boy released another ear-splitting scream and managed to free one of his arms, only to try to grab his cousin's hand. It seemed that the Horcruxe in him was now in possession of his body.

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter coactus est, hospes animae, relinque corporis,_ " Severus repeated once again, this time louder, and he saw that Lupin had managed to conjure some ropes to stop the boy from interfering.

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter coactus est, hospes animae, relinque corporis,_ " Lupin was now facing two shadows coming from the Tiara, one of them looked like a man and the other...

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter coactus est, hospes animae, relinque corporis,_ " Lupin had managed to drag the Tiara and its ghosts away from the two boys and was now raising the fang above it.

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter coactus est, hospes animae, relinque corporis_ ," the magical wave had been contained inside of the wards that Lupin had erected around him, but he had fallen on the ground and wasn't moving anymore and Tonks was now screaming, trying to get past Black who had seized her waist.

" _Ianua nunc aperta est, iter coactus est, hospes animae, relinque corporis,_ " a hole had appeared in the sky, just above Potter, and was getting bigger and bigger.

" _IANUA NUNC APERTA EST, ITER COACTUS EST, HOSPES ANIMAE, RELINQUE CORPORIS,_ " Potter stopped twitching on the ground, and a trail of smoke seemed to come out of his scar, trying to reach for the hole that was coming closer and closer from the limp body on the ground.

" _IANUA NUNC APERTA EST, ITER COACTUS EST, HOSPES ANIMAE, RELINQUE CORPORIS,_ " the silvery smoke reached the hole and disappeared in it, and the black circle suddenly collapsed on itself with a deafening sound.

* * *

"His aura really looks better," Harry heard a feminine voice declare, "you did a very good job professor."

"Thank you, Miss Lovegood," a second voice – professor Snape's – said. "I'm afraid I wasn't as successful with the Tiara, we had to use one of our fangs and it did some damages."

"Oh, but it looks much better that way. Can I keep it? Daddy will be so happy to have it."

"Of course, you're the one who found it after all."

Harry blinked and immediately closed his eyes, blinded by the light in the Room.

"Ah good, it seems that Mr. Potter is finally awake. Regulus, I trust you know what to do? The Polyjuice is on the table. I'll come to see how he is in a few hours. Miss Lovegood, I think it's time for you to leave as well, thank you for your help tonight."

Both of them left the Room, and Harry tried to move, only to discover that he couldn't. Regulus came near him and cancelled the spell he had been put under.

"Sorry about that, you were trashing in your sleep and Severus was afraid you would open the wound on your chest."

"Wou… What wound on my chest?" Harry asked, alarmed. "I thought it had to do with my scar?!"

Regulus looked apologetic.

"Yes, but that wasn't the only thing we were… taking care of tonight."

Harry had managed to sit on his bed and grimaced, before putting a hand on his chest. It had a large bandage on it, and it hurt a lot.

"What happened, then? Are you finally going to explain what happened to me last year?"

"I am. But, and I'm sorry for that, it might be a shock. Are you ready?"

Harry nodded.

* * *

**Grimmauld Place, a few days later**

If there was one thing that Rita had learned while living at Grimmauld Place, it was that, when it came to friends or family, Sirius Black was a real gossip. Not your every-day gossip, no. The kind of gossip that hid Quick-Quotes Quills in his best friend's house to make sure he knew if said friend finally asked the girl he liked out, or that used Extendable Ears to listen to his own Godson's conversations in hopes he would learn some juicy detail concerning his love life.

Yes, Sirius Black was a true gossip and Merlin helped her because she had never imagined she would one day think so, it was a nightmare. This is why, when she heard him approach from her door, shouting her name, she prepared for the worse.

"SKEEETER, guess what?" a beaming Sirius asked her as he entered the room.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me, Sirius?" she said, closing her book with regret.

"You know I wanted to ask Moony if he could come tomorrow for dinner, right?"

"Yes, you mentioned that at least four times when we were watching a movie."

"So," the man continued as if he had not heard her, "I tried to make a floo-call, but he didn't answer at all, so you know me, I was immediately concerned," Rita sneered loudly when she heard that, "and so I just had to make sure that he was alright, so I apparated at his house and GUESS WHAT?" he asked again, excited.

"He had just been taking a shower and was very upset about you invading the last bit of privacy he had?"

"Noooooo! I mean, no for the first affirmation, I don't know for the second one. No, Tonks was there, _AND THEY WERE KISSING_!" he shouted happily. "And when I say kissing, not a cute little peck like he did with his other girlfriends, nooooooooo, I mean the kind with groping and…"

"THANK YOU, thank you, I've got enough details," Rita interrupted him, putting one hand on his mouth. "Don't tell me you bothered them?"

"Oh, I did not, I swear! But I had forgotten about the flash on my camera, so when I took the first picture Tonks realized they were not alone and screamed before trying to hex me."

"Merlin, you really are the worst," Rita sighed, desperate. Sirius' grin only widened, as if it was a compliment. "Well, if your done with your story, come to bed. I'm tired and my feet are cold."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, that happened ;) I had the idea when I first decided to make Rita someone important in my story, but I didn't know how to write it, and then BAM, inspiration. I can totally see Sirius as a gossip, can you? [EDIT: what I meant is that Sirius and Rita are together, read the last sentence a second time!]
> 
> Finally something (almost) happening for Regulus and Hermione. How much longer do you think it will take for them to get together? Don't worry, not too long ;D
> 
> About the beginning of the chapter: Sirius went to Dumbledore, Dumbledore went to Fudge, Fudge said "meh", Rita decided it wasn't a good answer.
> 
> About the ritual : it took me sooooo long to find something plausible! I'm not good writing that stuff (because there was a lot of description), and I'm still not good in Latin, but I liked the final result :)
> 
> \- Voldemort's new body is imune to Harry's protection, but not the parts of the soul in his head, so Severus used Dudley's blood to create a reaction that would make it leave.
> 
> \- I choose the ingredients after some reading, it tried to find what was used for purification, etc...
> 
> \- The translation of the ritual is the following (just a word changing each time). If there is a better translation in Latin, please let me know!  
> > The door is open, The Path is free, Stranger soul, leave the  
> body (Severus had just cut the scar open)  
> > The door is open, The Path is clear, Stranger soul, leave the  
> body (Severus cut Dudley's hand)  
> > The door is open, The Path is forced, Stranger soul, leave the  
> body (Dudley has put his hand, in order to force the soul to leave)  
> Hope this makes sense!


End file.
